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NERO. 


OIFIER-A.    IIST     FOUR    .A.OTS 


BY 


ANTON    RUBINSTEIN. 


Chari.es  F.  Tretrar,  Publisher,  Steinway  Hall, 

NEW  YORK. 


BEG  TO  ANNOUNCE  THAT  THEY  HAVE  BEEN  AWARDED  A 

GRAND   COLD    MEDAL 

AT   THE 

International  Inventions  Inhibition, 

1 885— LONDON— 1 885 

"For   General   Excellence  of  their   Pianos, 

and  for  Several  Meritorious  and  Useful 

Inventions;"  and  also  a 

SPECIAL    GOLD    MED^lL 

FROM 

THE    SOCIETY    OF    ARTS, 

1885— LONDON— 1885. 


TWO    SPECIAL    DIPLOMAS    OF    MERIT, 

Sydney  International  Exhibition,  1879. 


TWO    HIGHEST    AWARDS, 

International  Exhibition,  Philadelphia,  1876. 


GRAND  NATIONAL  GOLD  MEDAL, 

WITH   CROWN  AND   RIBBON, 

From  His   Majesty,   King  Charles  XV.,   of  Sweden,  1868. 


FIRST  GRAND  GOLD  MEDAL, 

Exposition  Universelle,  Paris,  1867.    . 


GRAND    TESTIMONIAL    MEDAL    AND    MEMBERSHIP, 

From  Societe  des  Beaux  Arts,  Paris,  1867. 


FIRST    PRIZE    MEDAL, 

International  Exhibition,  London,  1862. 


Also  more  than  thirty-five  First  Premiums  at  American  Exhibitions,  and  testimonials  from 

the  most  eminent  Musicians,  Composers  and  Artists  in  the  world,  who  all  unite  in  the  unanimous 

verdict  of  the 

SUPERIORITY  OF  THE  STEINWAY  PIANO  OVER  ALL  OTHERS. 


Every  Piano  Fully  Warranted  for  Five  Years. 


EF*  Illustrated  Catalogues  mailed  free  upon  application. 


Steinway  &  Sons, 


WAREROOMS, 


STEINWAY   HALL, 


Nos.  107,  109  and  111  East  14tli  Street, 

NEW  YORK. 


N  E  RO. 


O^IEIR-A.    IIsT     FOTJB    .A.  0  T 


BY 


Anton  Rubinstein. 


The  English  Version,  after  the  German  Translation  of  Jules  Barbier'sText 


i:v 


JOHN   P.  JACKSON, 


AUTHOR    OK    "THE    PASSION    rLAY    AT    OBER-AMMERGAU,"    "LOHENGRIN,    MUSICALLY   AND    PICTORIALLV 

ILLUSTRATED,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


Copyright,  iSSb,  by  CHARLES  E.  LOCKE. 


Charles  F.  Tretbar,  Publisher,  Steinway  Hall, 

NEW  YORK. 


50 


PERSONS    REPRESENTED. 


Nero  Claudius,  Imperator. 

Julius  Vindex,  Prince  of  Aquitania 

Tigellinus,  Prefect  of  the  Pretorians. 

Balbillus,  Astrologer. 

Saccus,  Poet. 

Sevirus,  High  Priest  of  Evander's  Temple. 

Terpander,  Citharist,  Agrippina's  Freedman. 

Popp^ea  Sabina,  Otho's  wife,  Nero's  mistress. 

Epicharis,  a  Freedwoman. 

Chrvsa,  her  daughter. 

Agrippina,  widow  of  the  Emperor  Claudius, 

and  mother  of  Nero. 
Lupus,  a  Roman  gamin. 

Shades :    The    Emperor  Claudius,   Britann 

Octavia 


Plotters. 


Calpurnius  Piso, 

FjEnius  Rufus, 

Sporus, 

Valerius  Messala,. 

Thraseas  P^etus,  Senator. 

Salvius  Otho,  Governor  of  Lusitania. 

Delia,  Poppsea's  slave. 

An  aged  Christian. 

The  Leader  of  a  Band  of  Jugglers. 

A  public  Crier. 

A  Street  Vender. 

A  Centurion. 

icus,  Seneca,  Burrus,   Lucanus,  Petronius, 
and  others. 


Senators,    Patricians,    Augustans,    Pretorians,   Priests,    Lictors,   Players,   Dancers,   Musicians, 

Christians,     Greeks,     Gauls,     Germans,    Ethiopians,     Roman    People,    Slaves, 

Vestals,  Roman   Women,  Courtisans,   Danceuses,  Female  Slaves. 


Scene  :  Rome. 
Time:  From  the  years  59  to  68  after  the  birth  of  Christ. 

First  Act :    In  the  House  of  Epicharis,  at  Rome. 

Second  Act :  Poppsea's  Apartment  in  the  Imperial  Palace. 

A  public  Square  in  Rome,  near  Evander's  Temple. 

Third  Act:   A  Room  in  the  Small  House  of  Epicharis,  near  Evander's  Temple. 

Public  Place  near  the  Tower  of  Maecenas.       The  Burning  of  Rome. 

Fourth  Act:  In  the  Mausoleum  of  Augustus. — On  the  Roman  Campagna. 


3074^4? 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  OPERA. 


The  story  of  the  opera  of  "  Nero "  is  Dased  for  the  most  part  on  historical  incidents,  and 
historical  personages  are  the  principal  characters  of  the  drama.  Nero  Claudius  C/ESAR 
Drusus  Germanicus  was  bom  at  Antium  on  the  15th  of  December,  A.  D.  37,  and  was  Roman 
Emperor  from  the  year  55  to  68  A.  D.,  succeeding  Claudius,  who  after  the  murder  of  the  in- 
famous Messalina,  married  the  equally  debased  Agrippina,  Nero's  mother.  The  operatic 
story  is  taken  from  a  drama  in  verse  by  M.  Jules  Barbier,  and  is  devoted  to  a  characterization  of 
Nero  as  singer  and  histrion,  as  a  reveller  in  brilliant  shows,  festivals  and  processions,  and  in 
cruelties,  degradation  and  viciousness.  Nero's  life  was  devoted  to  the  stage,  the  arena,  the 
circus,  and  licentiousness.     He  completed  the  degradation  and  brutalization  of  the  Romans. 

Nero  instituted  the  games  called  Juvenalia,  in  which,  in  theatres  erected  in  his  gardens, 
he  himself  sang  and  danced,  and  forced  the  nobility  of  all  ages  and  sexes  to  do  the  same.  He 
finally  appeared  on  the  public  stage,  and  historians  record  Seneca's  sadness  at  seeing  the  lord 
of  the  Romans  appearing  in  public  as  a  singer.  "  He  was  seen  to  come  forward,  lyre  in  hand, 
wearing  a  long  trailing  robe,  and  having  addressed  the  audience  in  the  usual  form,  (Gentlemen, 
hear  me  with  favor,)  sing  to  his  chords  the  story  of  Attis  or  the  Bacchae.  The  officers  of  the  guards 
stood  around,  Burrus  grieving  and  applauding.  He  further  selected  five  thousand  young  men, 
named  Augustans,  who  were  divided  into  companies,  whose  task  was  to  applaud  him  when  he 
was  singing.  When  the  people  pressed  him  to  display  all  his  acquirements,  he  came  forth  in  the 
theatre,  strictly  conforming  to  all  the  rules  of  his  art,  not  sitting  down  when  weary,  wiping  his 
face  on  his  robe,  neither  spitting  nor  blowing  his  nose,  and  finally  with  bended  knes  and  moving 
his  hand,  waiting  in  counterfeit  terror  for  the  sentence  of  the  judges." 

Nero  appears  always  to  have  had  a  fascination  for  composers.  A  hundred  and  forty-seven 
years  before  the  production  of  Rubinstein's  work,  Handel  wrote  an  opera  which  bore  the 
melo-dramatic  title  of  Die  durch  Mord  und  Blut  erlangte  Licbe ;  oder,  Nero — "  Love  obtained 
through  Blood  and  Murder,  or  Nero."  "  This  opera,"  Mr.  Krehbiel  writes,  "  was  written  entirely 
in  German,  and  for  that  reason  deserves  to  be  remembered.  Yet,  early  as  it  was,  Handel's 
"  Nero"  itself  had  a  predecessor  in  the  "  Nero"  of  Pallavicini  composed  over  two  hundred  years 
ago.  And  now  Boito  is  working  on  the  subject,  the  fascination  of  which  is  perennial.  This 
fascination  is  natural.  From  amid  the  flood  and  gloom  that  surrounds  the  historical  Nero,  he 
looks  out  a  fine  type  of  operatic  character,  and  the  Rome  of  his  time  offers  a  magnificent  field 
for  the  fancy  of  the  dramatist,  costumer,  scene  painter  and  ballet  master.  In  his  own  person 
Nero  gave  the  world  proof  that  love  for  the  divine  art  can  live  in  the  blackest  soul.  When  he 
ascended  the  throne  he  summoned  Terpnos,  the  ablest  of  the  then  living  Citharccdi,  to  his  court 


n 


NERO. 


and  became  his  industrious  pupil  in  singing;  neglecting  none  of  the  measures  which  were 
practised  by  the  Greek  musicians  for  the  preservation  and  development  of  the  voice.  His  bari- 
tone voice  was  naturally  weak,  a  little  rough  and  hoarse  (says  Suetonius  of  him,)  and  only  by 
means  of  incessant  practice  did  he  succeed  in  accomplishing  anything  in  music.  During  his 
whole  life  he  was  filled  with  the  conviction  that  he  was  the  first  virtuoso  of  his  time." 

The  first  act  of  "  Nero  "  takes  place  in  the  house  of  Epicharis,  a  woman  famous  in  Rome, 
a  priestess  of  Venus.  Among  the  guests  present  is  Vindex,  prince  of  Aquitania,  who  after- 
wards plays  an  important  part  in  bringing  about  Nero's  end.  He  takes  no  pleasure  in  the  scene 
of  gayety,  and  after  Epicharis  and  her  guests  have  left  the  apartment,  he  remains  behind,  alone, 
lamenting  over  Rome's  degradation.  His  thoughts,  however,  are  interrupted  by  the  entrance 
of  a  young  girl,  Chrysa,  who,  while  returning  from  the  temple  of  Evander  to  her  own  home, 
has  been  followed  by  a  band  of  drunken  carousers  and  by  accident  has  sought  refuge  in  the 
house  of  Epicharis,  her  own  mother,  who  has  never  allowed  her  daughter  to  know  the  infamy 
of  her  own  life.  Chrysa  asks  Vindex  to  shelter  her,  which  he  promises  to  do,  convinced  from 
her  answers  to  his  questions  that  she  is  deserving  of  protection.  He  bids  her  enter  one  of  the 
inner  apartments,  and  she  escapes  just  as  Nero  and  his  companions,  Balbillus,  the  astrologer, 
Tigellinus,  the  prefect  of  the  Praetorians,  and  a  number  of  the  Augustan  guards,  all  masked, 
rush  in  in  search  of  the  booty  that  has  escaped  them.  Hearing  the  noise,  Epicharis  with  her 
guests  return.  She  threatens  to  inform  the  Emperor  of  the  conduct  of  the  intruders,  and  as 
Vindex  and  some  of  the  men  draw  their  swords  to  punish  them,  Nero  discovers  himself, 
laughing,  as  the  Emperor  of  Rome. 

This  changes  the  course  of  events.  Among  the  guests  are  Saccus,  the  poet,  and 
Terpander,  the  citharist,  two  of  Nero's  intimates,  and  they  propose,  in  order  to  please  their 
master,  that  the  maiden  be  given  to  him  as  his  bride,  and  that  the  event  be  celebrated  with  a 
mock  marriage.  Vindex  opposes  this  proposition,  however;  whereupon  Nero  offers  conditions, 
namely,  that  the  girl  shall  be  his,  Nero's,  if,  when  she  is  brought  in,  Epicharis  declares  that  she 
belongs  to  one  of  her  own  class.  Chrysa  being  brought  in,  immediately  recognizes  her  mother, 
and  Epicharis  terrified  at  the  fate  hanging  over  her  beloved  daughter,  in  her  anguish  closes  her 
in  her  arms,  fearful  as  to  how  she  shall  save  her  from  the  threatened  imfamy.  The  laughter  and 
mockery  of  the  guests  and  of  Nero's  friends  and  Epicharis's  recognition  of  the  girl,  deceive 
Vindex,  who  with  bitter  laughter  gives  up  his  assumed  role  of  protector.  Thereupon  Nero 
commands  that  the  marriage  rites  be  begun,  and  the  ceremonies  are  carried  out  in  mockery, 
ending  in  a  bacchanal,  the  chorus  and  ballet  joining  in  the  dance.  Vindex  himself,  having  asked 
Nero  in  sarcastic  mood  to  allow  him  the  privilege,  intones  the  bridal  song.  Epicharis,  how- 
ever, determined  to  rescue  her  child  from  a  fate  worse  than  death,  gives  Chrysa  a  goblet  of 
wine  containing  a  strong  sleeping  draught,  and  the  young  girl  falls  to  the  ground  as  if  dead.  All 
are  horrified,  believing  that  Epicharis  has  poisoned  her  child  in  order  to  save  her  from  Nero. 
Vindex  seeing  how  he  had  been  deceived,  turns  in  wrath  towards  the  Emperor  and  charges 
him  with  being  the  cause  of  the  murder,  whereupon  Nero  commands  that  he  be  arrested  and 
taken  to  prison. 

The  second  act  opens  in  an  apartment  in  the  Imperial  Palace  occupied  by  Popp^ea  Sabina, 
Nero's  favorite.  This  renowned  beauty,  of  whom  Tacitus  remarked  that  she  possessed  every- 
thing but  virtue,  is  filled  with  joy  at  finding  herself  so  near  to  a  place  on  Nero's  throne.  At 
the  time,  she  was  married  to  M.  Salvius  Otho,  for  whom  she  had  quitted  her  former  husband 
Rufius  Crispinus.  She  it  was  who  was  so  solicitous  about  her  beauty  that  she  took  a  bath 
every  day  in  the  milk  of  five  hundred  asses,  which  were  kept  for  the  purpose.  For  her  sake 
Nero  committed  many  atrocities.     He  had  banished  and  attempted  to  murder  his  mother 


NERO.  m 

Agrippina  (whom  he  finally  caused  to  be  slain).  To  be  able  to  marry  her  he  put  away  his 
wife  Octavia,  though  he  had  been  compelled  by  the  murmurs  of  the  populace  to  take  her  back; 
the  statues  of  Poppaea  had  been  flung  down  by  the  people  and  those  of  Octavia  had  been  car- 
ried about  covered  with  flowers.  But  finally  Nero  caused  Octavia  to  be  slain.  She  was  bound,  her 
veins  were  opened,  and  she  was  placed  in  a  warm  bath,  and  when  life  was  extinct  her  head  was 
cut  off  and  sent  to  Poppaea.  Poppaea  herself  finally  came  to  an  untimely  end.  For  a  time 
Nero  was  passionately  devoted  to  her,  and  his  joy  knew  no  bounds  when  in  64  A.  D.  she  pre- 
sented him  with  a  daughter,  which  however  died  four  months  old.  After  that  his  infamies  grew 
worse  and  more  degraded.  After  a  theatrical  entertainment  in  which  he  had  appeared  as  an  actor, 
in  a  fit  of  anger  he  gave  Poppaea  a  kick  in  the  stomach  which  caused  her  death.  Instead  of 
burning  the  body  as  was  then.the  general  custom,  he  had  it  embalmed  with  the  most  costly 
spices  and  deposited  it  in  the  monument  of  the  Julian  family.  He  himself  pronounced  the 
funeral  oration,  in  which  he  praised  her  for  her  beauty,  and  as  the  mother  of  a  divine  infant. 

But  to  return  to  the  scene.  Poppaea  is  discovered  surrounded  by  her  female  slaves  and 
attendants,  awaiting  Nero's  visit.  Agrippina,  at  the  time  in  banishment,  had  discovered  her  son's 
infatuation  for  Chrysa,  and  in  order  to  possess  the  means  of  affecting  a  reconciliation  with  him, 
had  caused  her  to  be  kidnapped  and  brought  to  her  own  house,  keeping  her  there  as  booty 
for  her  degraded  son.  She  had  sent  Terpander  to  Rome  with  the  request  that  Nero  might 
pardon  her,  and  at  the  same  time  sending  to  Poppaea,  as  a  present,  a  magnificent  diadem  and  an 
armband  containing  a  picture  of  Chrysa.  While  Nero  is  disporting  his  vanity  to  his  courtiers, 
singing  of  the  "  Love  and  the  griefs  of  Iphigenia,"  Vindex  is  led  past  by  the  guards  on  his  way 
to  execution.  At  the  same  time  Epicharis  enters,  and,  bitterly  weeping,  demands  of  Nero  that 
her  daughter,  who  has  been  taken  from  her  by  stealth,  shall  be  restored  to  her.  Nero  thus 
learns  for  the  first  time  that  Chrysa" is  not  dead,  as  he  had  supposed.  In  his  anger  at  being  de- 
ceived he  gives  the  order  for  Epicharis  to  be  put  to  death.  But  Poppaea  intercedes  with  him 
for  Epicharis's  life,  and  when  Nero  in  his  rage  grasps  the  outstretched  arm  of  the  pleading 
woman  he  suddenly  sees  the  portrait  on  the  armband  sent  as  a  present  from  Agrippina. 
Struck  with  astonishment  and  wondering  what  is  the  significance  of  the  picture,  he  apparently 
gives  way  and  asks  Poppaea  and  the  courtiers  to  accompany  him  to  the  grand  triumphal  pro- 
cession which  is  about  to  take  place. 

The  scene  changes  to  a  public  square  in  Rome,  in  front  of  Evander's  temple,  the  populace 
awaiting  the  coming  of  the  triumphal  procession,  a  part  of  the  great  festivals  which  Nero  was 
accustomed  to  give  to  the  people.  One  such  described  by  the  historian  is  that  on  his  return 
from  his  Thespian  expedition  to  Greece.  Returning  to  Italy,  he  entered  Rome  in  the  triumphal 
car  of  Augustus,  clad  in  a  purple  robe  studded  with  silver  stars,  the  Olympic  wreath  of  wild 
olive  on  his  head,  the  Pythian  laurel  in  his  hand.  The  crowns  which  he  has  won,  the  boards 
showing  the  names  of  the  places  where  he  had  gained  them,  preceded  his  chariot:  the  senate, 
knights  and  soldiers  followed  shouting,  Olympic  victor!  Pythian  victor,  Augustus!  Nero  Hercules! 
Nero  Apollo!  etc.  In  this  manner  Nero  proceeded  to  the  capitol  and  thence  to  the  palace. 
The  crowns,  eighteen  hundred  in  number,  were  hung  round  an  Egyptian  obelisk.  Nero  then 
resumed  his  former  occupation  as  a  player  and  charioteer.  The  people  awaiting  the  procession 
are  being  amused  by  a  troop  of  jugglers,  and  the  audience  by  the  performance  of  an  incident  in 
ballet.  A  group  of  Bacchantines,  chased  by  the  jugglers,  call  the  warriors  to  their  assist- 
ance. The  play  ends  with  the  defeat  of  the  jugglers  and  the  earring  off  of  the  Bacchantines. 
Then  comes  at  last  Nero's  imposing  triumphal  procession,  and  while  this  is  passing  the 
populace  exchange  opinions  about  Nero  and  his  contemporaries,  the  virtues  and  vices  of  himself 
and  his  companions.     Nero   at   last   arrives  upon  the  scene,  hailed  with  shouts  by  the  people. 


iv  NEBO. 


In  honor  of  Agrippina  his  mother,  to  whom  he  is  reconciled,  he  commands  the  Circensian  games. 
He  then  enters  the  temple  of  Evander  in  order  to  receive  the  homage  of  the  priesthood. 
Poppaea,  in  the  meantime  filled  with  jealousy,  has  determined  to  get  Chrysa  out  of  Nero's  way, 
and  she  is  seen  among  the  crowd  leading  Epicharis  and  Vindex  into  the  house  of  Agrippina 
to  demand  the  restoration  of  the  girl  to  her  mother.  Then  Nero  emerges  from  the  temple, 
laurel  crowned.  The  Vestals  kindle  the  sacred  fire,  the  people  cast  flowers  and  wreaths  to 
Nero,  who  filled  up  with  the  full  of  vanity  declares  that  he  is  not  only  Caesar  but  God.  To 
this  the  much  debased  and  brutalized  mob,  living  mostly  on  the  bounty  and  charity  of  the 
Emperor,  assents  in  wild  delirium,  shouting,  "Yes,  he  is  Caesar  and  God!" 

In  the  third  Act:  Chrysa  has  been  removed  from  the  house  of  Agrippina,  and  Nero,  find- 
ing himself  deprived  of  his  booty,  had  caused  his  mother's  death.  She  is  now  in  a  small  house 
under  the  care  of  Vindex,  to  whom  in  her  thanks  she  reveals  what  she  has  hitherto  kept  a 
secret,  namely,  that  she  belongs  to  the  persecuted  sect  of  the  Christians.  Vindex  declares  his 
love  for  her,  and  asks  her  to  teach  him  the  tenets  of  the  religion  that  makes  her  own  life  so  beauti- 
ful. Epicharis  enters.  She  had  been  released  from  prison  by  Nero  after  ineffectual  attempts  to 
compel  her  by  torture  to  reveal  her  child's  hiding-place.  But  he  had  given  her  her  liberty, 
knowing  well  that  she  would  at  once  go  to  her  daughter,  and  that  thereby  he  would  find  the 
booty.  While  Vindex  has  gone  to  Poppaea  to  ask  her  assistance  in  getting  his  wards  out  of  the 
city  to  a  place  of  safety,  Nero  suddenly  enters,  to  the  great  terror  of  the  two  women,  and 
renews  his  importunities  to  Chrysa,  promising  that  she  shall  take  Poppaea's  place  as  his  empress. 
Chrysa  treats  the  offer  with  scorn,  whereupon  Nero  threatens  vengeance,  that  he  will  chain  her 
to  his  chariot  as  one  of  his  slaves.  During  this  scene  Sacco  enters  hurriedly  and  announcs  that 
Rome  stands  in  flames.  Nero  is  thunderstruck.  Not  at  the  news  indeed,  but  at  the  fact  that 
he  should  have  forgotten  all  about  the  conflagration,  which,  according  to  popular  tradition  and 
M.  Jules  Barbier's  poem,  he  had  given  the  command  to  start.  Nero  at  once  gives  up  his 
persecution  of  Chrysa,  his  mind  now  being  fully  occupied  with  the  promised  display.  He  asks 
Poppaea,  who  has  entered  during  the  last  scene,  to  accompany  him,  to  view  the  glories  of  the 
spectacle. 

The  destruction  of  Rome  took  place  A.  D.  65.  On  the  19th  of  July  a  fire  broke  out  in  a 
part  of  the  circus  full  of  shops  containing  inflammable  substances.  It  extended  during  six 
days,  and  its  course  was  only  stopped,  after  the  greater  part  of  the  city  had  been  destroyed,  by 
pulling  down  houses  at  the  foot  of  the  Equiline.  Nero  was  at  Atium  when  the  news  of  the  fire 
was  brought  to  him.  He  immediately  repaired  to  Rome,  threw  open  his  gardens,  the  Campus 
Martius  and  the  monuments  of  Agrippa  to  the  sufferers,  caused  supplies  to  be  distributed  and 
reduced  the  price  of  corn.  All  he  could  do,  however,  could  not  remove  the  suspicion  from  the 
minds  of  the  people  that  the  city  had  been  fired  by  his  orders.  It  was  said  that  he  wanted  to 
have  an  opportunity  of  rebuilding  Rome  with  more  regularity  and  beauty,  and  that  while  the 
fire  was  raging  "he  ascended  a  tower  in  the  gardens  of  Maecenas  in  his  scenic  dress,  and 
charmed  with  what  he  termed  'the  beauty  of  the  flame,'  sang  to  the  accompaniment  of  his  lyre 
'The  Taking  of  Ilium'."  Further  the  historians  say  that  "he  spared  no  expense  in  rebuilding 
the  city;  and  when  all  would  not  avail  to  clear  him  he  laid  the  guilt  on  the  innocent — on  the 
members  of  the  society  named  Christians,  which  had  arisen  some  years  before  in  Judaea,  and 
were  now  numerous  in  Rome." 

The  scene  as  represented  in  Rubinstein's  opera  is  where  Nero  and  his  associates,  and 
Poppaea  ascend  the  tower  of  Maecenas  and  watch  the  progress  of  the  conflagration,  and  the 
persecution  of  the  Christians  by  the  maddened  populace.  The  Christians  were  objects  of 
general  aversion  at  the  time.    Any  charges  made  against  them  were  likely  to  be  credited.    Some 


NERO.  v 

of  them  were  taken  and  compelled  by  torture  to  confess.  They  were  put  to  death  with  torture 
and  insult,  some  being  sewed  up  in  the  skins  of  wild  beasts  and  then  torn  to  pieces  by  dogs, 
some  crucified,  and  others  wrapped  in  pitch  and  other  inflammable  materials  and  set  on  fire  to 
serve  for  lamps  in  the  night.  The  scene  of  their  agonies  was  in  Nero's  gardens.  The  Roman 
populace  is  seen  in  the  opera  engaged  in  its  favorite  occupation  of  slaughtering  the  Christians, 
and  Nero  is  seen  on  the  tower  of  Maecenas  glorifying  in  song  the  devouring  element  in  the 
famous  "  O  Ilion,"  from  the  description  of  the  funeral  rites  of  Hector  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
Iliad.  Chrysa  then  with  her  mother  and  Vindex  appears  on  the  scene.  Full  of  indignation 
at  the  cruelties  of  the  mob,  she  attempts  to  stay  the  madness  of  the  people,  but  in  vain.  She 
then  attempts  to  shelter  the  persecuted  people  by  placing  herself  between  them  and  their 
murderers.  Even  Nero,  who  has  caught  sight  of  her,  comes  to  her  assistance.  But  too  late. 
Heroically,  Chrysa  has  declared  to  the  mob  that  she  herself  is  a  Christian,  and  she  is  slain  by 
the  fanatics  before  she  can  be  rescued.  Vindex  is  compelled  to  flee.  Nero,  cursing  the  girl's 
murderers,  is  driven  back  by  the  flames.  Epicharis,  heart-broken  at  the  death  of  her  child,  falls 
and  is  burned  under  the  ruins  of  a  falling  house.  This  is  not  strictly  in  accordance  with  history, 
however.  Epicharis  became  involved  through  her  friends  in  a  conspiracy  against  Nero,  who' 
ordered  her  to  be  put  to  the  torture.  "  But  no  pain  could  overcome  the  constancy  of  the  heroic 
woman,  and  next  day,  as,  from  her  weak  state,  she  was  carried  in  a  chair  to  undergo  the  torture 
anew,  she  contrived  to  fasten  her  belt  to  the  arched  back  of  the  chair  and  thus  to  strangle 
herself." 

In  the  fourth  act  comes  Nero's  end.  The  Roman  world  has  submitted  long  enough  to  the 
sport  of  a  monster  in  human  form.  Vindex,  at  the  time  propraetor  of  Gaul,  is  generally  credited 
with  originating  the  revolt.  He  wrote  to  Sulpicius  Galba,  the  governor  of  Tarragonian  Spain, 
who  was  at  the  head  of  a  large  army,  asking  him  to  become  "  the  deliverer  of  the  human  race 
and  the  Emperor  of  Rome."  "Hearing  of  the  revolt  of  Galba  and  the  Spains,"  says  an  his- 
torian, "  Nero's  consternation  was  extreme.  He  resolved  the  wildest  and  most  nefarious  projects, 
such  as  sending  persons  to  kill  all  the  governors  of  the  provinces,  massacring  the  exiles  and  all 
the  Gauls  that  were  in  Rome,  poisoning  the  Senate,  and  letting  the  wild  beasts  loose  upon  the 
people.  He  began  to  levy  troops,  but  his  first  care  was  to  provide  carriages  to  convey  his- 
theatrical  properties  and  to  dress  and  arm  a  party  of  his  concubines  as  Amazons  to  form  his- 
guard.''  Finding  himself  deserted,  his  courage  failing  him,  and  his  freedman  Phaon  having, 
offered  a  country  house,  which  he  had  four  miles  from  the  city,  as  a  refuge,  he  mounted  a  horse 
and  set  out  with  Sporus  and  three  others  concealed  in  a  dark  cloak,  with  his  head  covered  and 
a  handkerchief  before  his  face.  The  librettist  of  the  opera  reveals  the  fallen  Emperor  in  tempo- 
rary shelter  in  the  mausoleum  of  Augustus.  Filled  with  terror,  he  sees  the  shades  of  his  many 
victims  rise  up  amid  the  gloom  and  pass  before  him,  his  brother  Britannicus,  Octavia,  his  first 
wife,  Poppaea  his  mother,  Chrysa,  Epicharis,  all  the  host  of  friends  and  teachers  whom  he  had 
murdered,  the  slaughtered  Christians  whom  he  had  cast  to  the  wild  beasts  or  used  as  living 
torches  at  his  hideous  festivals.     Filled  with  terror,  he  rushes  out  into  the  storm. 

In  the  next  scene  Nero  is  discovered  on  a  bleak  road  on  the  Campagna.  In  the  distance 
is  Rome,  whither  Galba's  soldiers  are  hastening,  singing  their  battle-song  as  they  pass.  Nero 
has  been  recognized  and  is  being  hunted  by  the  soldiers.  "  He  and  his  companions,"  says  the 
historian,  "had  to  quit  their  horses  and  scramble  through  a  thicket  to  get  to  the  rear  of  Phaon's- 
villa  and  then  to  wait  till  an  aperture  was  made  in  the  wall  to  admit  them.  Every  one  urged 
him  to  lose  no  time  in  saving  himself  by  death  from  the  impending  insults  if  captured  alive. 
Meantime  he  continued  weeping  and  exclaiming,  'Ah,  what  an  artist  perishes  in  me  (qualis 
artifex  pcreo  ! y     A  messenger  arrives  bringing  letters  that  he  had  been  sentenced  by  the  Senate 


vi  NERO. 


to  be  brought  under  the  Caudine  yoke.  He  inquired  what  that  meant.  Being  told  that 
he  was  to  be  stripped  naked,  have  his  head  placed  in  a  fork  and  be  scourged  to  death, 
he  took  two  daggers  he  had  with  him  and  tried  their  edge,  then  sheathed  them  again,  saying 
that  the  fatal  hour  was  not  yet  come.  One  moment  he  desired  Sporus  to  begin  the  funeral  wail, 
then  he  called  on  some  one  to  set  him  an  example  of  dying,  then  he  upbraided  his  own  con- 
science. At  length,  hearing  the  trampling  of  horses  of  those  sent  to  take  him,  he  hurriedly 
repeated  an  appropriate  line  of  Homer,  and,  placing  a  dagger  at  his  throat,  with  the  aid  of  his 
secretary  Epaphroditus,  drove  it  in.  A  centurion,  entering  before  he  was  dead,  put  his  cloak  to 
the  wound,  pretending  that  he  was  come  to  his  aid.  '  Tis  too  late !  Is  this  your  fidelity?'  said 
the  bleeding  tyrant,  and  expired."  This  event  took  place  A.  D.  68,  in  the  thirty-first  year  of  his 
age,  and  the  fourteenth  of  his  reign.  It  is  carried  out  on  the  stage  with  due  regard  to  history, 
Saccus,  however,  taking  the  place  of  Epaphroditus.  Vindex  appears  on  the  scene.  The  sol- 
diers gather  about  the  dead  despot.  Then  in  the  sky  appears  a  brilliant  light  in  the  form  of  a 
Cross.  The  people  look  in  wonder  at  the  miraculous  sign  and  accept  it  as  a  promise  that  peace 
has  once  more  returned  to  the  world.  All  join  enthusiastically  in  a  hymn  of  thanks  to  God, 
"the  Mighty  One,  who  shall  not  let  his  children  perish." 

With  "  Nero,"  Anton  Rubinstein  is  first  introduced  to  the  American  public  as  a  composer 
of  opera,  though  he  has  been  very  productive  in  this  department  of  musical  work.  Shortly  after 
his  return  to  St.  Petersburg  in  1848,  when  he  was  attached  to  the  court  of  the  Grand  Duchess 
Helene  as  Kammervirtuose  and  later  as  Hof-Kapellmeister,  he  composed  a  number  of  small 
operas,  among  which  are  "The  Siberian  Hunter,"  "Toms,  the  Fool,"  "The  Revenge," 
"  Dimitri."  His  best  known  operatic  works  are,  besides  the  present  one,  "  The  Children 
of  the  Steppes,"  "  Feramors,"  "  Merchant  Kalachinikoff,"  "  The  Demon,"  "  The  Son  of 
the  Voivod."  Rubinstein  has  gained  his  greatest  fame  on  the  operatic  stage  by  his 
musical  dramas  on  the  biblical  subjects.  He  began  with  "  Paradise  Lost,"  which  however  he 
called  an  oratorio  in  the  original  edition,  and  continued  in  "  The  Tower  of  Babel,"  and 
"  The  Maccabees,"  works  which  combine  the  oratorio  and  opera  styles,  by  utilizing 
the  powers  of  the  old  time  oratorio  chorus  and  the  modern  dramatic  orchestra.  The 
present  opera,  "Nero,"  was  first  produced  at  the  Stadt  Theatre  at  Hamburg  in  1879, 
under  the  direction  of  M.»  Pollini,  with  the  mise-en-scene  by  Mr.  William  Hock,  and  under 
the  personal  superintendence  of  the  composer.  Its  success  was  so  great  that  it  had  no  less  than 
thirty  repetitions  in  Hamburg  alone.  The  libretto  of  the  opera  owes  its  origin  to  M.  Jules 
Barbier,  whose  dramatic  poem  of  "  Nero  "  was  apparently  put  into  German  before  being  set  to 
music  by  the  composer.  Unfortunately,  in  the  German  translation,  M.  Jules  Barbier's  classic 
lines  were  often  mutilated  or  their  metre  lost;  consequently  the  present  version,  taken  from  it,  in 
which  the  English  words  must  of  necessity  follow  as  closely  as  possible  the  composer's  inten- 
tions and  strength  in  accentuation,  will  not  always  bear  critical  scanning. 


John  P.  Jackson. 


NERO 


ACT   I. 


SCENE  I. — Court  (Atrium)  in  the  House  of  Epicharis. 
In  the  background  an  open  gallery  (Peristyl)  leading 
from  one  of  the  streets  of  Home.  The  foreground  is 
lighted  hy  lamps  and  lampadaria.  Assembled  are 
Otho,  Yindex,  Saccus,  Terpander,  Piso.  Mcssala, 
Rufus,  Sporus,  Senators,  Gauls,  Greeks,  Germans 
and  Courtesans. 

Chorus  of  Men. 
Tarry,  ye  moments, 
Ye  that  in  hast'ning 

Course  soon  pass  by  ! 
In  the  wildering  whirl 
Of  joy  all  too  swiftly 
From  us  ye  fly  ! 
Like  nymphs  from  the  wooer 
Ye  escape  the  pursuer: — 
Yet  oft  in  the  flutt'ring  race 
Not  vain  the  chase. 

Chorus  of  Women. 
Waste  not  the  time 
That,  ah,  all  too  quickly 
Passes  away 
With  fluttering  pace 
In  the  rapturous,  joyous  race! 
Like  nymphs  from  the  wooer, 
Ye  escape  the  pursuer: 
Yet  oft  in  the  flutt'ring  race, 
Vain  is  not  the  gallant  chase ! 

Men. 
Newly  found  have  we  here 
The  island  enraptured; 
With  thee,  Epicharis. 
Sere  enchanted  we  stay, 

The  Graces  alway 
y.eady  to  serve  and  obey. 


Chorus  of  Women. 
This  is  the  home  of  the  Graces; 

These  are  fair  Cythere's  bowers ; 
In  the  gladsome  feast  invited 

Let  us  enjoy  the  fleeting  hours. 

All 

Tarry,  ye  moments, 
Ye  that  in  hast'ning 

Course  soon  pass  by! 
In  the  wildering  whirl 
Of  joy  all  too  quickly 
From  us  ye  fly ! 
Like  nymphs  from  the  wooer, 
Ye  escape  the  pursuer: — 
Yet  oft  in  the  flutt'ring  race, 
Vain  is  not  the  gallant  chase. 
Enjoy  the  moment's 

Sweet  delight, 
For  life  doth  pass 
With  rapid  flight! 

[Epicharis  enters,  followed  by  her  slaves.    Her  guests 
hasten  to  greet  her.~\ 

Epicharis. 

Good  welcome  be  to  ye  all,  my  guests  illus- 
trious, 

Romans,  strangers !     Ye  all  shall  bring  joy 

to  the  fete! 

Ye  of  our  noblest  blood,  and  ye  of  rank 

exalted, 

Right  welcome  are  ye  to  the  feast. 

All 
All  hail !     0  queen  of  beauty  rare  ! 
All  hail!    The  temple's  priestess  fair ! 

PtSO.  [To  V index.'] 

And  now, — alien  and  guest, — what  thinkest 

thou  of  our  Romans  ? 


NERO. 


Terpander.  [  To  Findex.  -j 

Hast  thou  e'er  dreamt  of  glory  and  might 

such  as  this? 

RufuS.  [to  Findex.] 

To  thy  wondering  gaze  there  is  opened  a 

world ! 

Vindex. 
Nay,  thou  err'st — my  search  is  for  men ! 

SaCCUS.  [Aside.] 

Unmannerly  Barbarian  ! — Ei,  thou  callest 

thyself 
Prince  of  Aquitania — of  ancient  and  kingly 

race  ! 
Lookest  for  men  in  Rome — the  choice  were 

surely  not  hard : 
Piso   see  !     Rufus   see  ! — and  everyone  of 

them  noble ! 
Terpander,   a   Freedman   forsooth,  but   a 

master  in  art, 
And  Otho,  who,  aye,  his  wife  as  a  gift  gave 

to  Caesar ! 
By  the  Gods  !  are  these  not  men  and  prin- 
ces of  manhood  ? 
And  forget  not  the  greatest  of  poets  :   I 
nam'd  thee  not  Saccus — 
That  is  I — yea,  that  is  I. — For  whom  else 

is  thy  search  ? 
P'r'aps  for  an  Emperor  ? — For  Nero  I  pray 

thee  to  grieve  not. 
By  hate  and  envy  devour'd,  burden'd  he 

came  to  the  world  ; — 
What  at  his  conscience  gnaws,    gives  him 

now  food  for  his  song  ! 
Lord  of  the  Lyre — Thespian  hero^seeking 

for  fame  on  the  stage. 
Pale,  speechless,  on  his  knees,  madly  he 

pleads  for  applause. 
From  the  vulgar  plebeians! — 
Before  the  people  trembling 
He  makes  the  people  quake: 
He  hears  the  shouts  of  the  foolish  rabble: 
"Caesar is  great! 
In  song  is  Nero  the  victor! 

Hail,  Caesar,  hail!" 
Lord  of  the  world,  and  forsooth — 
Histrio! 
Ha,  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha!  ...  . 


Vindex. 

Rome,  hapless  Rome ! — 
Thou  hast  fallen  so  low 
In  the  wretched  one's  hands ! 

Piso. 
Who  knows.     How  appalling  the  hate 
'Neath  the  joy  of  the  fete  can  be  hidden ! 
Those  who  shrewdly  the  head  can  bend, 
Before  the  low'ring  storms  descend, 
Can  raise  up  the  head  when  all  is  o'er, 
Standing  then  firmer  than  before ! 

[Hearing  Piso's  words,  the  Conspirators  have  become 
attentive.  ] 

The   Conspirators. 
Those  who  shrewdly  the  head  can  bend, 
Before  the  low'ring  storms  descend, 
Can  raise  up  the  head  when  all  is  o'er, 
Standing  then  firmer  than  before. 

Epicharis. 

[  To  the  Conspirators.  ] 

Forsooth,  one  would  think,  hearing  speech 

so  audacious, 
That  my  house  for  conspiracy  was  chos'n! 
A  Brutus  we'll  see  nevermore;    and  his 

times  are  forgotten ! 

[To  the  other  guests.] 

Pray  ye,  then,  such  folly  curbing, 
Be  not  heard  more  speech  disturbing! 
Come!  come!     The  praises  sing 

Of  wine  and  of  delight ! 
Let  loud  your  voices  ring, 

In  joy  let  all  unite! 
Of  love  alone,  here  sing  will  we — 
Of  its  wond'rous  might  shall  our  praises  be. 

All 

Tarry,  ye  moments, 
Ye  that  in  hast'ning, 

Course  soon  pass  by! 
In  the  'wild'ring  whirl 
Of  joy,  all  too  quickly 

From  us  ye  fly! 
Like  nymphs  from  the  wooer, 
Ye  escape  the  pursuer : — 
Yet  oft  in  the  flutt'ring  race, 
Vain  is  not  the  gallant  chase. 

Awaits  us  the  banquet's  sweetest  delight! 

Enjoy  the  moments  before  they  take  flight. 


KEBO. 


[Epicharis  leaves  with  her  guest.  Tindex  remains 
alone.  The  slaves  take  away  the  torches.  The 
scene  is  lighted  only  by  the  lampadaria.] 

Yindcx. 

Go   without    me!       I    have    heard   quite 
enough ! 

0  how  deeply  thou  art  fallen,  O  Rome! 
With  my  own  eyes  I  have  seen, 

O  Rome,  thy  shameful  fall! 

Unhappy  Rome! 
Farewell !  Farewell  ye  ail ! — 

Who  is  that  in  the  gloom  that  I  seel 
'Tis  a  woman! 

[Vindex  is  about  to  leave  when  Crysa  appears.  She  is 
greatly  terrified.  ] 

Chrysa. 

Here  I  am  safe!     Give  me  ward! 

0  pity,  I  pray  thee ! 

Vindex. 

Say  what  danger  makes  thee  to  fear- 
Gentle  maiden? 
Say,  who  would  harm  thee? 

Chrysa. 

1  was  pursued!     My  steps  were  turned  to 

my  home — 
When  with  wildering  shouts  came  a  band 

of  caro users, 
Their  faces   all  mask'd,  they  followed  fast 

on  my  footsteps, 
It  was  there,  near  the  bridge  they  o'ertook 
me — 
My  slave,  all  too  faithful — 
Guarded  mo  from  the  wretches, 

But  his  reward  was  death. 
Him  they  seized,  they  tore  him  from  me, 
Cast  him  into  the  Tiber! 

1  fled!  Soon  they  lost  all  my  traces — 
To  this  house  then  I  sped! 

And  so  came  I  to  you. 
Ah !  Send  me  not  forth  again ! 
I  plead,  here  on  my  knees. 

VhldcX.  [Raising  her  up.] 

I  pray  Thee  rise !  My  arm  shall  protect  thee. 

Chrysa.  [Listening.] 

I  hear  them  no  more, — my  pursuers. 


Vindex* 
But  what,  then,  led  thee  and  thy  faithful 

slave 
All  so  late  in  the  streets  of  Rome, — 
That  every  night  by  bridleless  bands  are 

infested. 
Chrysa. 

For  my  mother,  0,  sir,  Avhom  sad  fate  long 

kept  from  me 
So  long,  so  long  a  time ;  alas,  a  hallow'd  vow 


Vindex. 
In  Vesta's  temple,  perhaps? 


fulfilling. 


Chrysa. 

_  _  ,  J  See  music, 

JNay,  twas  another  god.  I  pages  33-35 

0,   mother,  mother!    why  from  me  wert 

taken  ? 
O,  what  cruel  fate  drove  thee  away  from 

me? 
And  yet  I  am  thine,  though  by  thee  for- 
saken, 
My  loving  heart  beats  but  for  thee ! 

Vindex. 

Hapless  child,  who,  then,  is  thy  mother? 
Canst  thou  thy  lot  to  me  discover? 

Chrysa. 

Thankless  were  I,  truly,  should  I  trust  thee 

not  fully — 
Naught  be  hidden  from  thee,  who  givest 
mo  ward  and  protection! 
With  one  devoted  slave,  alas, 
The  faithful  friend,  who  was  taken 

By  death  forever  from  me, 
Lived   alone   through    the    days    of    my 
childhood. 
A  lowly  house,  by  trees  sweetly  shaded, 
Where  naught  I  heard  of  the  world  and  its 
sorrows, 
Sheltered  us    well — near  to    Evander'a 
Temple. 
There,  alone,  I  grew  up. 

I  lived  so  still  and  quiet, 
In  the  house,  the  enchanted, 
In  harmless  delight. 
My  mother — the  dearly  lov'd — 
Ah,  how  good  is  she,  sir,  and  fair! 
So  fair! 


6 


NERO. 


Comfort    brought   to   her    child    when  af- 
flicted; 

0,  what  joy  when  we  met ! 
She  came  always  at  night, 

By  some  mystery  surrounded, 
In  secret,  by  sorrow  oppress'd. 

Vindex. 
Know'st  thou  the  cause? 

Chrysa. 
I  know  naught,  except  that  she  lov'd  me. 

Vindex. 
Know'st  not  her  name? 

Chrysa. 

That  from  her  never  escap'd — 
T  know  her  heart  alone! 
O,    mother,  mother,   why    from    me    wert 

taken  ? 
Say   what  cruel  fate   drove   thee  away 

from  me? 
And  yet  I  am  thine,  though   by  thee  for- 
saken, 
My  loving  heart  beats  but  for  thee! 

Vindex. 

O,  lovely  child,  thus  all  forsaken, 

What  gentle  magic  led  thee  here  to  me! 

What  rapture  sweet  dost  thou  awaken? 
What  precious  jewel  do  I  find  in  thee? 

Chorus. 

Enjoy  the  moments'  sweet  delight, 
For  life  doth  pass  with  rapid  flight. 

Vindex. 

Come!     Thy  escort  now  T  will  be! 

Here,  gentle  child,  thou  may'st  not  linger. 

There  are  dangers  to  thee  all  unknown 

Lurking  here  in  this  place, 
Greater  far  than  those  on  the  Tiber! 

[Confused  sounds  and  shouts  heard  on  the  streets.] 

Chrysa. 

Ah  !     Hear  ye  not  the  shouts  ? 
It  is  they  !     It  is  they  ! 

Vindex. 

Rather  death,  than  leave  thee  unsheltered. 
Follow  me  i 


Chi  i/sa. 

God,  O  my  refuge — 
O  grant  him  thy  aid — > 
And  on  thy  child  have  pity. 

Vindex. 
Me  forsooth  they  must  kill 
Ere  to  thee  wrong  be  done! 

[  Vindex  leads  Chrysa  away.  Masked  men  enter  the 
Pcristyl,  and  drive  off  the  slaves  of  Epicharis.] 

Chorus  of  Augustans. 
Thou  art  ours,  O  dove  so  fair  and  tender, 

A  lovely  turtle  dove  art  thou! 
And  as  booty,  must  surrender, 

To  the  vulture's  talons  now ! 

[Nero  enters  accompanied  by  Tigellinus  and  Balbillus. 
All  wearing  masks.  ] 

Nero. 
Was  it  here  ? 

Tigellinus. 
Here  in  this  house — she  entered  sure — 
She  shelter  sought  in  a  temple  pure. 
And  ye  rush'd  blindly  past — 
And  never  more  had  ye  found  her — 
Had  not  ye  erring  ones  come  at  my  call ! 

The  Augustans. 
Ours  thou  art,  O  dove  so  fair  and  tender, 

A  lovely  turtle  dove  art  thou ! 
And  as  booty,  must  surrender, 

To  the  vulture's  talons  now! 

[Epicharis  appears,  followed  by  Saccus,  Terpander, 
Piso,  Otho,  Messala,  Sporus,  Rvfus,  all  the  guests, 
courtisans  and  slaves  bearing  torches.] 

Epicharis.   [To  the  Jugustanr.] 

Who  dares  thus  here  to  enter, 

The  lares  defying? 
Is  then  Rome  without  ward — 

By  barbarians  o'er-ridden? 

Nero. 

Calm  thyself,  gentle  Epicharis! 

Deprive  us  not  wrongly  of  booty — 
Nay  the  pretty  dove  surrender, 

That  gallantly  we  chased — 
The  dove,  so  fair  and  tender, 

And  just  to  the  hunter's  taste! 
Give  us  the  booty  fair — 


NERO. 


7 


Sent  by  Phoebus  as  our  dower, 
Or  by  the  Gods — beware ! 

And  woe — if  from  our  power 
Ye  to  wrest  her  shall  dare! 

AugUSianS.  [ To  Epichwris.  ] 

Quick  the  pretty  dove  surrender,  etc. 

Epicliaris. 

Ye  are  deceived !     Doubt  ye  my  word ! 
No  one  in  here  is  hidden!     Monster! 
Tear  the  mask  from  his  face. 
I  care  not  for  his  threats, 
Thou  shalt  tremble — 

Nero  himself  shall  be  thy  judge. 

Nero  and  Chorus.      [ironically.] 

Ha,  ha,  ha!     A  most  audacious  notion — 
Nero  his  judge! 

Saccus. 

[To  Epicliaris,  still  in  ironical  tones.'] 

Nay,  by  the  god  of  thieves. 

They  have  right  to  their  laughter ! 

Wilt  to  the  Emperor,  thou  ? 

To  thy  friend,  thy  protector? 
Who  as  pattern  can  all  of  us  shame. 

Nero,  the  very  virtuous  Caesar, 
With  his  brood  of  Augustans 
Ready  to  do  every  Avrong 

The  fools  of  the  whole  Roman  empire, 

His  assistants  by  day 

And  by  night  his  claquers. 

If  forjudge  such  as  this  their  quest 

They  had  good  right  to  their  jest. 

Nay,  look  not  to  Nero  for  aid, 

Of  their  Emp'ror  they're  not  much  afraid. 

Chorus  of  guests. 
Yea,  truly  !     So  it  is  ! 

Nero.  [.Aside.] 

Ila  !  wretched  viper's  tongue.     Woe! 
Of  thy  speech  thou  shalt  bitter  repent. 

[  To  his  companions.] 

Enough  ;  the  hand  to  the  sword, 
And  search  well  the  burrow  ! 
Follow  me  ! 

V index. 

He  who  first  shall  attempt 
O'er  the  threshold  to  pass, 

By  my  hand  he  shall  fall! 


The  hapless  child  whom  ye  pursue 
Sought  my  protection!     I'll  guard  her  well 
Here  with  my  sword!     I,  Vindex, 
Prince  of  Aquitania ! 

Nero. 

Madman  !     Me,  would'st  thou  defy? 
Know'st  who  I  am  ? 

Vindex. 

And  wert  thou  Nero's  self! 


Yea,  truly — 


What  then? 


Nero. 
'Tis- 

V index. 


-he  himself! 


Epicliaris  and  Guests. 

Nero  'tis !     Be  silent,  friends. 
Seeks  the   tiger   a   victim,  Ave  know  well 

how  it  ends. 

Saccus. 

Caesar,  a  word  from  thee — and  never  a  one 

escap'd  thee — 

Yet  the  cries  of  the  victims  enhane'd  not 

the  joy  of  the  fete. 

Nobler  revenge,  forsooth,  canst  have  for  our 

reckless  deed — 

Invite  us  all  to  join  in  the  feast  of  thy  love 
And  assist  at  the  wedding ! 

[Great  astonishment.  J 

Soon  'twere  done,  and  right  easily. 
Thou  hast  but  to  command  us: 
As  witnesses  choose  the  topers  around, 
The  fools  here  assembled;   let  each 
Just  play  his  own  role  at  his  pleasure. 
Balbillus,  the  augur,  he  pronounce  bene- 
diction ! 
Piso,  Rufus,  watch  well  over  the  law! 
Epicliaris  teach  to  the  bride  of  her  duties ! 
Terpander,  he  the  lyre  shall  play  us; 
And  when  the  altar's  fires  are  burning, 
So  to  prevent  the  blind  ruling  of  chance, 
I  will  sing  the  Hymenaeus,  if  I  may  presume, 
After  thee,  O,  Caesar,  to  sing ! 


Hypocrite 


PisO.  [Aside.] 

Terpander.  [Aside.] 

Ah,  Ave  are  rescued. 


8 


NERO. 


Nero. 

So  be  't ! 
My  heart  knows  naught  of  vengeance, 
And  I'm  pleased  with  the  plan.    It  is  good  ! 
Ye  are  pardoned. 

Chorus  of  Guests. 

What  a  heart !     Csesar  hail  i 
How  sublime,  how  glorious  ! 

Messala,  Sporus,  Chorus  of  Conspirators. 

How  can  virtue  prevail 

If  such  crimes  be  victorious  ! 

Nero. 
Thou,  Saccus,  shalt  my  groomsman  be. 
Go  j  bring  to  me  my  bridal  beauty ! 

[Saccus  tries  to  enter  the  inner  apartments.      Vindex 
bars  the  way.] 

Vindex. 
Venture  not  to  approach  her. 

Saccus. 

Stand  back ! 
Thou  arrogant  fool !     Stand  away  ! 

NerO.  [To  Vindex.] 

Pay  heed! 
Thy  folly  soon  were  brushed  aside. 
But  I'll  offer  thee  fair  terms. 
I,  Nero,  Emp'ror  of  Rome  ? 
Thy  nocturnal  street  beauty 
Would  as  Vestal  pass  muster: 

So! 
If  the  maid  be  not  known 
To  our  hostess,  why,  then, 

She  shall  be  thine  ! 
But  if  to  her  she  be  known, 
She  belongs  then  to  me. 

Dost  agree  ? 

t  To  Tigellinus,  aside.  ] 

There'll  always  be  time 
To  assert  our  good  right. 

Vindex. 
Be  it  so. 

Nero. 

Why,  then,  lingers  the  fair  one  ! 

Chorus. 

The  sentence  rests  with  thee,  Epicharis ! 
Take  care ! 


Epicharis. 
What  gives  me  anguish  all  so  great  f 

[  Chrysa  is  led  in  to  the  assembly.] 

All. 
Behold  her! 

Chrysa. 

Tell  me  whither  ye  lead  ? 

Epicharis. 
O,  horror ! 

Chrysa. 

My  mother ! 
Vindex. 

What !     The  child  of  Epicharis  f 

Nero. 
Ha,  ha !     The  child  of  Epicharis  ! 

Epicharis. 
Have  pity  !     Is  there  here 
No  arm  ready  to  shield  her? 

Vindex.  [To  Nero.] 

By  all  the  gods,  Csesar, 
If  she  suit  well  thy  taste 
Take  her  away  !     She  is  thine  ! 

Chrysa.  [To  Epicharis.] 

But  who  art  thou,  O  mother  ? 

Chorus. 
Who  is  she  ?     Ha,  ha  ! 

Epicharis. 
Have  pity  !     Silence  ! 
My  strength  is  taken  from  me. 

Nero. 
Epicharis,  who  is  she  ! 

Epicharis.  [To  Nero.] 

Silence  !     Silence !     She  shall  be  thine  ! 


I  his  ?     O  God ! 


Chrysa. 


Epicharis.  |  To  Chrysa.  ] 

Obey,  but  have  faith  in  me! 
Thou  shalt  not  be  harmed! 


0  mother ! 


Chrysa. 


NERO. 


9 


See  music, 
pages  35-38 


Romans. 
See  how  pale  she  is  with  fear ! 

Saccus. 

Maidens  all  begin  your  duty, 

The  bride  deck  out  in  raiment  fair, 

And,  in  ancient  wise,  our  beauty 
For  the  wedding  rites  prepare. 

[The  maidens  begin  to  fasten  on  the  bridal  ornaments, 
laughing  the  while.  Epirharis  beckons  to  a 
female  slave,  with  whom  she  whispers.  The  slave 
leaves.  ] 

Chorus  of  Maidens. 

Deck  thee  with  the  tunic  fair, 
In  toga  should  no  wife  appear, 

Braided  now  thy  bridal  hair, 
As  is  custom,  with  the  spear. 

Round  thy  loins  the  girdle  place, 
Round  thy  brow  the  circlet  cling, 

And  the  veil  the  bride  must  grace, 
Here  the  wreath  that  joy  shall  bring. 

Spotless,  stainless  be  thy  life, 
To  thy  lord  a  faithful  wife; 
Fair  and  true  to  him  alone 
Who  hath  chos'n  thee  for  his  own. 

Prudent  be,  as  matron  wise, 
Be  of  women  thou  the  prize; 
As  the  bee's  thy  hours  be  spent, 
Thine  be  blessing  and  content. 

Chorus  of  Men. 
Ah  !    'Tis  food  enough  for  laughter ! 

Nero. 

Ye,  Piso,  Rufus  ;  write, 
And  pay  out  the  bridal  dower — 
A  million  serterces. 

[Ironic  laughter  by  Tigellinus,  Balbillus,  and  the 
Augustans.  Piso  and  llufus  write  upon  their 
tablets,  their  faces  troubled.] 

My  name : 

Caesar,  Claudius  Nero, 

Singer  and  Lord  of  the  Romans. 

Balbillus,  thou 
Pronounce  the  auspices  ! 

[The  preparations  for  the  marriage  ceremony  are 
begun.  ] 


Balbillus. 

[  With  folded  hands,  his  eyes  raised  to  heaven,  paro- 
dying the  sacred  rites.'] 

Pilumnus !     Picumnus ! 

On  this  pair  in  grace  look  down. 
Picumnus !     Pilumnus  ! 

Let  not  harm  upon  them  frown  ! 

Chorus. 

Pilumnus !     Picumnus ! 

On  the  twain  in  grace  look  down. 
Picumnus !      Pilumnus ! 

Aye,  befriend  them, 

Aye,  defend  them, 

Ye,  the  house's  gods, 

From  harm  defend  them. 

V index.  [Aside.] 

They  call  on  the  gods  themselves, 

In  hideous  jest, 
To  witness  the  crime  all  so  shameless. 

Balbillus. 

[Taking  dice  from  his  pocket.  ] 

The  lot  has  fallen — 
The  fates  now  speak  : 

[He  throws  the  dice  ;   a  slave  examines  them.  ] 

Praise  ye  the  good 

The  gods  declare: 
"A  joyous  life 

The  twain  shall  share." 

Chorus. 

Praise  ye  the  good 

The  gods  declare: 
"Bright  is  the  lot 

The  twain  shall  share." 

[Slaves  bring  in  wine   in  bowls   and  hand  to  those 
present.  ] 

Nero. 

[Advancing  to  embrace  Chrysa.] 

My  bride  ! 

Chrysa. 

Heaven ! 

SaCCUS.  [  To  Nero.  ] 

Nobly  play'd. 


10 


NERO. 


BalbiUus. 

[Lifting  up  the  drinking  bowl  and  pouring  out  the 
wine  into  a  tripod,  which  has  been  brought  in  by  a 
slave.  ] 

Bacchus,  thine  the  wine ! 
Juno,  thee  I  implore  ! 
Ceres,  hail !      Phoebus,  hail ! 
Pluto,  hail !     Venus,  hail ! 

Chorus. 

Bacchus,  thine  the  wine  ! 
Juno,  thee  we  implore ! 
Ceres,  hail !     Venus,  hail ! 

Chrysa. 
O,  horror ! 

[Epicharis  gives  Chrysa  a  bowl  of  wine  which  has 
been  brought  in  hy  the  young  female  slave  to  whom 
she  had  whispered  a  short  time  before.] 

Epicharis. 

Do  not  tremble  !     Take  the  cup  ! 
Drain  it  off  without  fear. 

Chrysa. 

0  mother ! 

[She  drinks,  and,  at  a  sign  from  Epicharis,  takes 
up  a  position  with  Nero  in  fron  t  of  BalbiUus.  ] 

BalbiUus. 

\_To  Nero  and  Chrysa.] 

Let  the  hands  be  join'd, 

Let  all  witness  be; 
Here  united,  one, 

Wed  are  ye ! 

[To  Nero.] 

To  her  ward  shalt  lend, 
Be  her  love  and  friend 
To  the  end ! 

[  To  Chrysa.  ] 

Here  let  all  witness 

The  seal  is  upon  her ! 
Henceforth  she  be 
Watch  and  ward 

Of  his  honor ! 

Chorus. 
Now  shall  the  pair 
Their  happiness  share! 

SaCCUS.  [To  the  Slaves.] 

The  wedding  torch  now  lighted  be  ! 
Fetch  the  spindle,   the  basket  of  willow 

well  wove — 


Symbols  of  household  joy  and  of  marital 

virtue. 
The  wreaths  and  flowers  then  bring,  for  the 

gods,  the  propitious, 
Penates  and  lares,  that  the   house  and  the 

hearth  protect. 

[  The  slaves  light  wax  torches,  bring  in  spindles  and 
basket,  and  decorate  the  images,  the  Lares  and 
Penates,  with  flowers. 

Chorus  of  Girls. 

[Mocking  Chrysa.] 

Soon  thou  wilt  wool  be  spinning, 
Newly  wedded  life  beginning; 
And  time  goes  fleetly  winging, 
Much  joy  and  comfort  bringing, 
And  husband's  favors  winning 
If  thou  but  keep  on  a-spinning. 

Chorus  of  Men. 

[  Teasing  Chrysa.  ] 

Ha,  ha,  ha,  ha ! 

Pretty,  pray, 

Don't  delay, 
Let  not  thy  husband  wait : 

Oh,  the  anguish 

If  he  languish 
In  such  a  woeful  state  ! 


Ballet. 


Saccus. 

[After  the  bridal  procession  has  been  arranged.  | 

And  now  the  Epithalam. — 
Terpander,  take  thou  the  lyre. 

Vindex. 

Nay,  by  Hercules ! 

The  honor  of  singing  is  mine! 

Nero. 
Be  it  so ;   sing  away  ! 

All. 
Sing  away  !   'tis  Csesar's  will ! 

[A  lyre  is  handed  to  Terpander.     He  takes  a  place 
on  an  elevation ;    Vindex  beside  him.] 

Nero. 
Pay  heed ;  Terpander's  master-hand. 


nero. 


11 


C  See  music, 
I  pages  39-40 


YindcX.  [Ironically.] 

My  song  is  to  thee, 
Warder  of  marriage ! 

Son  of  Urania, 
Let  thy  blessing  on  them  rest ! 

Hymen,  to  thee 
Have  they  their  hearts  surrendered  ! 

Hymen,  to  thee 
Now  shall  my  hymnus  be  tendered! 
My  song  is  to  thee, 

Hymenseus ! 
Bless  thou  this  pair! 

Chorus. 
All  hail!     All  hail!     Hymenseus! 

Vindex. 

How  bright  is  Caesar's  star ! 
How  wondrous  fair  his  bride! 
To  him,  whom  the  gods  attend, 
See  beauty  lauding,  bend! 

Hail  to  him! 
His  fame  shall  never  perish  ; 

Hail  to  her 
Whom  Csesar's  love  shall  cherish  ! 
Hear  us  !     Hear  us  !      Hymenseus! 

Bless  thou  this  pair! 

Chorus. 
Hear  us!     Hear  us!     Hymenseus! 

Vindex. 

Eros  leads  the  way, 
Hymen  bears  the  torch, 
And  fair  Venus  safely  gitides 
To  the  realm  where  love  abides. 

Hail,  Epicharis, 
Who  the  bride  consecrated! 

Hail,  Chrysa,  hail! 
To  a  Nero  well-mated! 
My  song  is  to  thee, 

Hymenseus! 
Bless  thou  the  twain. 

[Epicharis  has  followed  every  one  of  Chiysa's  move- 
ments. As  the  latter  arrives  at  the  I'cristyl  she 
suddenly  places  her  hand  to  her  heart  and  reels.  ] 


Chrysa: 
Ah,  mother,  save  me! 

All. 
She  is  dying  ! 


[Falls.] 


Epicharis. 

[Supporting  the  body  of  her  daughter.] 

What  would  ye  more  f 

[To  Nero.] 

She  dies!  and  by  my  hand! 


Vindex. 
And  was  I  then  deceived? 


[Aside.] 


Epicharis. 

In  truth,  better  that  she  should  here 
Lie  pale  in  death  than  living  be  thy  booty ! 

[To  the  Chorus.] 
And  ye  5  would  ye  condemn  me1? 

Nero.  [Aside.] 

Accursed  be  thy  treacherous  deed ! 

Piso. 
Hapless  child! 

Terpandcr.  [Aside.] 

Is  it  death?  or  is  she  in  sleep? 

Vindex.  [To  Nero.] 

Behold!  Csesar  is  victor! 
Father  is  he  of  his  people! 

[Continuing  in  the  tone  of  the  EpitJialan.] 

Glory,  O  despot! 
Harken  ye  all  and  tremble ! 
The  gods  doth  he  surely  resemble — 
For  his  love  bringeth  death. 

Chrysa  was,  aye, 
The  victim,  foully  mated, 

And  in  death 
Hath  she  now  been  consecrated. 

My  song  is  to  thee, 
Hymenseus ! 
Guardian  of  marriage,  bless  thou  this  pair. 

Nero. 

O,  Fatum!   cruel-breasted, 
Her  from  my  arms  thou  hast  wrested — 

Robbed  her,  by  death,  from  me; 
Writh  whose  glory  none  could  compare, 

And  in  beauty  none  so  rare. 

Chorus. 
Shameless  the  deed!     Traitress! 

Terpandcr.  [  Aside.  ] 

Slumber   shelters   her  safely,    as    death 

from  dishonor.     And  what  a  weapon  have 


12 


NERO. 


we    in    our    hands   if  Chrysa    still   lives  ? 
Agrippina  shall  know  it. 

Nero. 

[Observing  Vindex,  aside."] 

Ha!     Vengeance!     Tremble! 

Vindex.  [Aside.] 

Tremble  thou ! 

Nero. 

[To  his  companions,  pointing  to  Vindex."] 

Take  him  hence  !    He  defies  me,  forsooth  ! 

Accursed  barbarian !     We  will  see 

If  the  headsman  can  break  this  defiance 

unheard  of. 
If  he  then  will  dare  again  to  meet  me  with 

scorn? 
Me,  the  Emperor  of  Rome ! 

[He   leaves,  followed   by   Tigellinus  and   Balbillus. 
The  Augustans  overpower  Vindex.  ] 


ACT  H. 


FIRST   DIVISION. 

[Poppcea' s  Apartment  in  the  Imperial  Palace. 
Poppcea  surrounded  by  her  women,  holding  a  silver 
mirror  in  her  hand.  Her  toilette  has  just  been 
completed.  Balbillus  the  astrologer  has  informed 
her  of  the  events  of  the  preceding  night,  and  that 
Vindex  has  been  condemned  to  death.  He  has  also 
informed  her  that  Nero  had  already  depostd 
Octavia.  Poppcea  informs  Balbillus  of  a  sign  she 
had  seen  in  the  sky,  which  the  astrologer  interprets 
to  her  as  giving  promise  that  the  throne  would  now 
be  hers.] 

Chorus  of  Poppceds  Women. 

Proud  as  Venus  thou  in  beauty, 

Reignest  supreme  o'er  an  empire ! 
Lo,  the  Lord  of  the  World  bends  before  thee! 

Yea,  see  at  thy  feet, 

Caesar  entreat! 
Lo,  on  thy  brow  rests  youth  eternal, 
In  thy  glance  a  charm  supernal! 

Victory  surely  is  thine 
When  thou  art  seen  in  thy  majesty! 
Never  shall  flee  thy  beauty  from  thee! 
Dos't  rule  the  world  and  its  lord, 
Thou  alone  art  by  Caesar  ador'd! 


Poppcea.  [Alone.] 

Yesterday  eve  broke  on  the  night 

A  dazzling  light; 
Long  it  lingered  above  me — 

"  The  throne  is  thine  !" 
Nay,  did  he  speak  me  the  truth  ? 

Yes,  Beauty,  armor  lending, 
The  gods  above,  befriending, 

The  throne  shall  win  for  me! 
Bending  in  the  dust,  to  me  appealing, 
Lo,  a  world  before  me,  kneeling, 

In  love  and  adoration  see !         c  sec  music, 

(  pages  41-46 

Crowned  are  my  dreams  by  love  ! 
Near  to  the  gods,  from  Heaven  above, 

I  look  upon  the  world. 
Too  great  almost  the  crown's  resplendence, 
Upon  my  will  a  world's  dependence, 

Life  and  death  beneath  me  whirl'd. 

Vanish  hate  and  envious  quarrels, 
If  men  Beauty's  realm  proclaim; 

It  alone  can  gain  the  laurels 
Of  immortal  fame  ! 

Bending  in  the  dust,  to  me  appealing, 
Lo,  a  world  before  me  kneeling; 

I  supreme  upon  the  throne, 

I  its  goddess !  I,  alone ! 

Balbillus. 

The  Emperor!  [Nero  enters.] 

Poppcea. 
May  the  gods  protect  thee,  O  Caesar. 

Nero. 

What  ?    Does  Nero's  love  not  fill 

Thy  heart  with  every  terror  ? 

Canst  thou  his  presence  vile  endure  f 

Poppoza. 

For  such  suspicion  I  must,  aye,  reprove 

thee. 
Can  Nero  still  have  doubt  how  tenderly  I 

love  thee? 
Of  what  can  I  complain  about  thee,  surely? 


Nero. 


What  % 


NERO. 


Poppcca. 

Former  graces  cherished, 
Surely  have  not  perished  ? 
The  glances  bright  can  never 
Have  lost  their  lire  forever  ? 
From  my  cheeks  have  vanished 
The  roses  all?     And  banished 
The  wondrous  charm  of  voice 
That  once  could  thee  rejoice? 
Ah,  who  all  then  shall  tell  me? 
Who  my  misery  dispel  me? 

He  whom  I  adore 

Loves  me  no  more  ! 

Nero. 

So  beautiful  I  never  yet  have  seen  thee  ! 
But  why  chide  me? 

Poppcea. 

Why  further,  if  thy  troth  has  been  broken, 
With  thy  love  deride  me? 

Nero. 
Nay,  by  my  oath! 

Poppcea. 

I  must  believe  thee  ! 
But  arc  there  not  eyes  more  beautiful  than 

mine 
That  our  love  imperil  ?     The  gods  offended 
Know  well  thy  transgression,  and  will  damn 

it  and  us. 
Nero. 

An  enigma,  thy  words. 

Poppcea. 

Agrippina,    Octavia — a    mother — a    wife! 
Woe  is  me  ! 

Nero. 

Enough !     Wouldst  mock  my  love  ! 
My  mother  grasps  at  power  alone; 
And  my  wife,  she  hath  deceived  me. 

Poppcca. 

She  her  trotli  to  thee  broken? 

A  lie  most  shameful !    Canst  thou  prove  it? 

TigellinUS.  [  Enters.  ] 

Caesar,  a  derelict  spouse,  in  her  guilt  over- 
taken, 

Hath  received  her  reward.     Octavia  is  no 

more. 


Nero. 

And  wilt  thou  still  from  me  flee?     See! 

All  Rome  is  here; 

Homage  to  me  they  declare; 

The  throne  is  free. 
Wilt  thou  with  me  its  glory  share? 

\_Tigellinus  has  opened  the  curtains  concealing  the 
gallery.  Servius  is  seen,  surrounded  bij  priests, 
senators,  patricians,  guards,  slaves,  etc.  Saccus 
is  among  them.     The  chorus  of  women  appears.] 

Cliorus. 

Honor  to  thee  ;  thy  people  applaud  thee ; 

Weakness  it  were,  and  of  Csesar  un- 
worthy, 

If  the  shame  were  not  punished, 

If  the  crime  remain  unavenged, 

Done  to  thee,  the  gods,  and  to  Rome. 

Hail,  Csesar,  hail!     Thou  art  sapient  and 

gracious ; 

Gracious  and  just  art  thou! 

Nero. 

To  the  gods  alone  should  we  give  thanks 

and  glory. 
Servius,  go  thou,  lead  us  the  way ; 
We  will  follow  to  the  shrine  of  Evander. 

Servius. 

There  at  the  altar  I  will  await  thee, 
And  may  his  guidance  Jupiter  lend  thee. 

[Servius  leaves,  followed  by  the  priests.  ] 

Nero. 

[Scanning  those  around  him.'] 

Among    ye   all   I    search    for   many   in 
vain.     Piso!   Rufus! 

Saccus. 
Thankless  wretches! 

Balbillus. 

And  traitors! 

Nero. 
And  Thraseas? 

Saccus. 

Thraseas  is  sentenced! 

Nero. 
I  bethink  me,  aye.     Did  he  not 
Of  my  song  make  merry  and  jest? 


14 


NERO. 


Well,  forsooth,  he  is  sorry  enough! 
But,  if  he  is  not,  good  friends, 
Say    what  chastisement  would  ye  that  I 

give  him? 
Senators. 
Death  ! 

Nero. 

Let  him  be  hither  led; 
Through  these  halls  ye  shall  lead  him. 

Ye  friends,  give  me  advice. 
A  mighty  and  different  Rome 
I  would  leave  to  her  children. 
Destroy  all  her  palaces! 
Level  her  hills ! 
And  in  ruins  bury  her  temples! 

TigeUinus. 

A  messenger,  sent  by  thy  mother,  Agrip- 

pina. 

[Terpander  enters,  then  Thraseas,  an  aged  Christian. 
Vindex.  ] 

Nero. 
Thou  here,  Terpander? 

Terpander. 
I  am  sent  to  thee  by  thy  mother, 
Bringing  affectionate  greetings: 
Asking  that  thou  no  longer 
May'st  close  thy  heart  to  her  prayers. 
To  the  heavenly  Poppsea 
Also  sends  she  her  prayers, — 
Asking  that  she  may  with  favor 
Hail  her  return, — and  aye, 
This  casket,  as  symbol  of  her  love ! 

T'oppaza. 

[  Opening  the  casket.  ] 

All  these  treasures  for  me! 
0  marvel!     A  diadem! 

Terpander. 

And  what  fitter  brow  could  be  found 
For  these  symbols  of  rank  so  exalted? 

Toppeza. 

If  Caesar,  as  I,  for  the  absent  one  feel  com- 
passion, 

She  will  be  welcomed  here  in  fitting  and 

loving  fashion. 
Nero. 

Thy  word  to  me  is  command! 


Terpander. 

The  glittering  gem  conceals  fair  Chrysa's 

features  ! 
He  too  must,  aye,  admire  it, 
And  so  she  herself  will  place 
The  lovely  picture  in  his  hands. 
I'll  watch  keep  over  them  both. 

Nero.  iTo  Terpander. ] 

What  favor  could  I  e'er  refuse 

To  Terpander,  the  genius? 

Whom  the  marvelling  people 

With  laurels  oft  crowned? 

Whom  I  love — yes,  love  and  admire? 

Who  by  his  wondrous  song, 

By  his  playing  enchanted, 

Happy  ones  made  blissful, 

And  foes  made  to  friends. 

Thou,  Iloma's  pride  and  glory, 

Take  thou  the  lyre  in  hand, 

Still,  by  thy  magic  skill, 

The  desire  of  thy  ardent  admirers; 

And  I  myself  will  sing 

Supported  by  him, 

The  grief  and  the  love  of  Iphigenia, 

Whom  a  terrible  fate 

Tore  from  the  side  of  her  mother. 

Chorus. 

O,  silence!   Caesar  will  sing! 
Heavenly  delight !     Bliss  too  divine! 

Nero. 

Silence! 
Be  your  Caesar  forgot  when  the  Singer  is 

heard! 
The  highest  of  all  is  Art ;  this  never  forget. 

\_A  slave  returns  with  a  lyre,  which  he  hands  to  Terpan- 
der. Toppuza  seats  herself,  and  her  women  take 
jewels  from  the  casket  sent  by  Agrippina  and  put 
them  upon  her.  Nero  assumes  the  attitude  of  a  min- 
strel (improvisator).  Terpander  accompanies  him, 
playing  on  the  lye,  but  never  taking  his  eyes  away 

from  Poppaza  and  her  actions.  ]  J   See  music 

\  pages  47-49. 

"O,    Fate,    all    so   remorseless!      On    my 

pathway  stride ih 
Inexorable  death. 
Woe  that  the  Night  with  dark'ning  shadow 

glideth 
So  near  to  my  morning's  path!" 


NERO. 


15 


[Thraseas,    led   by  guards,    appears  in  the  gallery. 
Nero  turns  upon  him,  angry  at  the  interruption.] 

Nero. 

Is  that  not  Thraseas?    Apollo  disarms  me! 
Forgotten  be  all  that  he  did.     Thraseas, 
If  to   my  song  thou  wouldst  hearken,  so 

stay. 

[Thraseas  shrugs  his  shoulders   in  disdain  and  dis- 
gust. ] 

The  Chorus. 

Little  of  fear   hath  he,  in  truth,  of  death  ! 
Woe  to  him! 

Nero. 

Ah !  to  thy  Emperor's  voice  fain  wouldst 

not  listen  ! 
Go  on,  Terpander,  let  him  not  disturb  thee. 

[lie  motions  to  the  guards  to  lead  Thraseas  away.'} 

"0,  why  pursue  me  ever  the  bitter  pangs 


of 


my  yearning 


"? 


And  every  prayer  is  in  vain! 
O,  woe!  never  more  to  my  mother  return- 


ing* 


Nevermore  see  each  other  again." 

Chorus. 
Nevermore  see  each  other  again ! 

[An  aged  Christian  is  led  in  by  the  guards.  ] 

Nero. 

Still  more  of  death's  unfortunates ! 
What  crime  hath  he  committed  f 

Balbittus. 

A  Christian  of  the  outcast  sect, 
To  the  blackest  crimes  ever  ready ! 

Saccus. 
Abandoned  thieves  and  loathsome  worms. 

Tigellinus. 
Dark  assassins!     Poisoners 

Nero. 

[After  reflecting  awhile. ~\ 

They  can  be  useful  to  me. 

[lie  motions  the  guards  to  lead  the  Christian   away 
and  then  turns  to  T<  rpander.] 

Poppcca. 

[To  the  women,  who  av  fi Mining  on  an  armband 
taki  u  from  among  the  presents  sent  by  Agnppina.~\ 

Ha,  what  a  face  !  a  very  masterpiece  ! 


Nero. 

And  now,  Terpander,  play. 

Terpander.  [To  himself '.] 

The  miracle  hath  happened. 
The  portrait  on  her  arm; 
Caesar  now  must  see  it. 

[Terpander  commences  a  prelude.      Vindex  appears 
in  the  gallery,  led  in  by  the  guards.  ] 

Vindex. 
He  who  now  goes  to  his  death 
Greets  thee,  O  Caesar ! 

Nero. 
Vindex,  'tis  well;  let  him  die! 

Poppcca. 

No,  no !  but  for  an  hour 
Let  him  live,  I  pray  thee  ! 

Nero. 
And  why  % 

Poppcca. 

Said'st  thou  not 
That  my  wish  should  be  thy  command? 

Nero. 
His  presence  awakens  my  rage  ! 

Poppcca. 


And  why  ? 


Nero. 


[Suddenly  restraining  himself. ] 
So  be  it!  [To   Vindex.] 

We  wish  to  see  thee  ;   come  nearer  ! 

[  J'indcx  comes  slowly  forward.} 
PoppCCa.  [To  Vindex.'] 

From  thee  I  would  learn  the  cause 
Why  to  death  they  condemned  thee? 

Vindex. 
Oh,  a  crime  it  was  quite  unheard  of. 
Sang  ]  not  the  nuptial  tsong 
Of  the  lovely  Chrysa,  and  Nero? 


Traitor ! 


Nero. 

Poppcea. 
I  knew  it  well ! 


16 


NERO. 


Vindex. 

See  what  an  amorous  fire 
Is  burning  still  in  his  eye? 

Nero. 

What !  wouldst  mock  me  ? 
Die,  then,  accursed  one ! 

[Cccsar  motions  to  the  guards  to  seize  Vindex.  In 
the  same  moment  a  great  noise  is  heard  outside. 
The  guards  hesitate,  and  Epicharis  pushes  her 
way  to  the  gallery  and  endeavors  to  reach  the 
Emperor.  ] 

Vindex. 

He  who  goes  to  his  death,  greets  thee,  0, 

Caesar ! 
Epicharis. 

Let  me  pass !  Cowards !  Would  ye  prevent 

me! 
Nero. 
Epicharis ! 

Epicharis. 

O,  Csesar !  mercy,  for  Chrysa! 
Give  my  child  back  to  me ! 

Nero. 
Art  thou  mad?    Has  delirium  seized  thee? 
Wert   thou   not    the    one,     O    unnatural 

mother, 
Who,  with    thine    own  hand,  didst  poison 

thy  child  ? 

Epicharis. 

Think'st  thou  that  I  gave  her  poison? 
Wouldst  thou,  then,   mock  my  bitter  sor- 
row ? 
Robbers  carried  her  off  from  the  house's 

sheltering  walls; 
And  thou  knowest  too  well  where  she  now 

lingers. 
Nero. 
Alive? 

All. 
Alive? 

Epicharis.  [Kneeling.] 

To  thee  I  plead,  with  anxious  breath. 
O,  see,  I  humbly  kneel  before  thee; 
Give  me  my  child,  I  implore  thee, 
Or  end  my  sorrows  in  death. 
Lord  over  all,  in  thy  appalling  might, 
Be  greater,  through  mercy,  over  thy  wild 

passion's  night. 


Nero. 

In  thee  have  I  been  so  mistaken? 

Who   from  my  hand  my  fair  bride  hath 

taken? 
What  madman  would  my  power  defy? 
Curse  him  !     He  shall  die ! 

Poppcea. 

Cruel  tortures!    Hear  the  mother  plead. 

Before  his  love  must,  aye,  another  fly. 
Shall  such  dark  fate  be  mine?     In  need, 

With  shame  beladen,  I  for  mercy  cry. 

Vindex. 

In  thy  rage  though  death  may  lie, 

Thy  murderous  threats  shall  not  unnerve  me. 

Aye,  if  the  gods  my  life  preserve  me, 
I'll  shelter  Chrysa,  and  thee  defy. 

Terpander,    Tigcllinus,   Saccus,    Balbillus, 
and  Chorus. 

In  his  rage  grim  death  doth  lie. 

Who  can,  aye,  his  wrath  extinguish  ; 

He  will  ne'er  the  prey  relinquish ; 
Death  were  ours  if  we  should  him  defy. 

Nero. 

And  thy  daughter  still  lives?     Thou  but 

feign'dst  thy  compliance. 

'Tis  well;  thy  child  I'll  quickly  find. 

But  thou  and  Vindex,  ye  who  mock  me  in 

defiance, 

To  death  shall  be  quickly  consigned. 

[To  Tigcllinus.] 

Lead  them  away !    Lead  them  to  death  ; 
And  hearken — let  their  lives  end  in  torture ! 

PoppQ3a.  [To  Nero.] 

Spare  them !   or  to  me  give  death ! 

[Seizing  Poppcva's  arm,  in  his  anger,  his  glances 
fall  upion  the  armband.  He  suddenly  restrains 
himself  and  lets  Poppaa's  arm  sink  slowly.  Pop- 
para  notices  the  gem  which  has  attracted  Nero's 
attention.  ] 

Nero. 
Ah  !     By  all  the  gods ! 

Terpander. 
He  recognized  it! 

Chorus. 
See!  he  reels! 


NERO. 


17 


Nero.  [To  lerpander.] 

This  face! 

Tcrpandcr.  \  To  Xcro.] 

Caution ! 
Nero. 

[To  Poppcea,  tenderly.'] 

Dost  thou  wish?     Let  it  be  so; 

Thy  wish  alone  my  grace  procuring. 

This  sacrifice  be  proof  enduring 
That,  aye,  my  love  is  more  than  idle  show. 

[He  takes    Poppeca's  hand  and  raises  it  to  his  tips, 
observing  sharply  the  picture  the  while.'] 

Vin  dex.  [  To  Epicharis.  ] 

Come;  our  God  will  soon  liberate  us? 

Epicharis. 
Come!  come! 

Poppcea.  [  To  Ba  Ibillus.  ] 

BalbillllS,  See  !  [She  shows  him  the  portrait.] 

Balbillus. 
What!   Chrysa! 

Poppoda. 

[Glancing  at  Terpander.] 
0,  monster  thou,  and  traitor! 

NcrO.  [To  Terpander.] 

Terpander,  we  arc  due,  forsooth^ 
At  the  Temple  of  EvandT. 
Thy  place  henceforth  here  at  my  side  shall 

be. 
Saccus  and  all. 
Glory,  O  Caesar  !  glory  to  thee  ! 

( TBANSFOBMA  TION. ) 

SECOND  DIVISION. 

[A  public  square  in  Pome.  People  come  from  all 
sides,  women,  children,  aged,  Romans  and  aliens, 
(Gaul.*,  Germans,  Greeks,  Ethiopians,  Christians, 
etc.)  Lupus,  a  street  gamin  springs  hither  and 
thither  among  the  crowd,  mocking  and  jesting. 
Sellers  of  fruit  andrefreshments  move  about,  offering 
their  wares.] 

Scene  I. 

Chorus  of  Roman  People. 

Glory,  Nero,  to  thee! 
Thou  our  protector  in  trials  and  dread! 


Hast  from  us  care  and  misery  driven, 
Hast  to  thy  hungering  people  given 
The  circus  and  bread. 
Boundless  thy  grace — 
Thou  art  the  world's  defender! 
Rome  is,  in  all  her  splendor, 
Of  the  gods  the  dwelling  place! 

Lupus  and  Chorus. 

Hear  the  trumpets!  See  they're  coming! 
No,  no — they're  the  buffoons  and  followed. 

by  jugglers- 
See  they  come  in  their  gaudy  confusion. 

[A  wagon  surrouneled  by  jugglers  arrives  on  the  scene. 
On  it  are  seated  the  leaders  of  the  troupe  and' 
around  them  players  on  various  instruments.] 

Leaders  of  the  Troupe. 

Everywhere,  where'er  we  wander'd  around 
Shone  fully  forth  our  talents  resplendent — 
Pray    let    your    plaudits    now    be    richly 

squander'd — 

Now  reed-pipes  and  cymbals — sound! 

On  your  good  will  we're  dependent. 


BALLET. 

Dance  of  warriors — A  group  of  Bacchantines  chtt.orf  by 
the  jugglers — The  former  call  the  warriors  to  assist 
them — The  jugglers  are  defeated  and  the  warriors 
carry  off  the  Bacchantines  as  their  booty — The  multi- 
tude applauds — Trumpets  heard  in  the  distance — 
Great  commotion  among  the  crowel — The  jugglers 
make  their  escape — The  people  press  towards  the  back- 
ground, anxious  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  the 
procession. 

Lupus. 
Now  they're  coming!     Don't  you  hear? 
Room !     Make  room,  plebeians, 
And  the  Emperor's  slaves! 

Chorus  of  People. 

[Enter    Lictors,    Soldiers,      Centurions,     P,-?toii,ans 
Priests,  Vestals.] 

See,  there  is  Nero! 
Where?     There!    Behold! 
Where  is  he,  where? 
Press  not  so  hard, 
There's  naught  to  be  seen! 

What  a  confusion ! 
See  there,  the  Prctorians! 


18 


NERO. 


Snare  and  delusion 
To  hoodwink  the  masses. 
Ah,  how  grand!     See,  he  comes! 
Who  sits  in  his  chariot? 

Terpander, 
Agrippina's  freedman  surely  ! 
See  you  not?     What  an  honor? 
Will  she  to  Rome  ever  more  venture? 
Nevermore!     Is  she  afraid?     Ha,  ha! 
He  would  not  his  mother  surely  slaughter? 
Ho  don't  always  do  that  which  he  ought  to ! 
But  where  tarries  Poppsea? 
In  Vesta's  temple,  praying! 
You  know  not  what  you're  saying. 
And  the  hapless  Octavia? 
The  innocent  victim? 
What,  ye  bewail  Octavia  ?     What  ? 
Such  a  godless,  dissolute  woman  ? 
Nay,  she  was  virtuous  and  blameless! 
A  victim  of  violence  shameless! 
Let  her  guilt,  pray,  be  nameless! 
See  Rome's  patricians ! 
The  arrogant  Augustans! 
Otho  I  see  not  among  them. 
By  Hercules!      His  wife 
Smoothens  for  him  the  pathway  to  glory ; 
Gave  her  to  Nero — the  same  old  story. 
Shameless  rascals,  these  same  Augustans! 
Murderers,  they,  and  banditti! 
The  terror  of  all  wives  and  maidens ! 
Their  nightly  orgies — what  excesses! 
Their  lord's  claquers  and  prancing  asses ! 

[Consuls,  Tribunes,  Patricians  and  Augustans.] 

Petronius  made  fun  of  them — 
Petronius  !     For  which  he  died  ! 
And  Seneca? — Naught  puts  him  out; 
He  is  too  rich  and  all  too  learned — 

And  has  the  gout. 
Then  Thraseas  died,  the  friend  of  virtue — 
We've  had  no  greater. 
Pity,  such  a  music  hater ! 
But  only  when  Nero  sang. 
And  there  he  was  right — 
It  came  from  his  spite! 
And  yet  he  sings  right  well? 

A  hideous  yell ! 
The    Greeks    with    wreaths    around    him 

nocked, 

And  mock'd ! 
At  Naples  he'd  much  praise ! 


But  Rome  didn't  follow  the  craze  ! 
What  a  singer ! 
Such  genius  showing: — 
More  like  a  rooster  crowing! 
Caesar's  a  fool  with  his  singing! 
And  such  art  in  his  playing — 
A  Caesar  with  jugglers  springing! 
Pray  mind  what  you're  saying! 
The  country's  butt  and  rod — 
In  truth  he  is  a  god ! 

[Prisoners,    Princes,    Warriors,    Women,    Children, 
all  in  fetters.] 

Ah,  see  there  the  prisoners; 
Princes,  princesses,  warriors. 
We  see  them  all.    Pitiful  their  need; 
Death  were  good  for  them  indeed. 

Grand  are  the  plans 
With  which  his  brain  is  teeming — 

His  the  world — 
And  now  against  heaven  he's  scheming. 

A  monster  grim, 
On  Rome's  throne  well  seated — 

Humanity  defeated! 
Now  our  Rome,  her  palaces  and  her  temples 
By  fire  would  fain  destroy. 

Have  care! 
Thou  best!     So  spake  he  truly  ! 
Madness  unheard  of — 

That  he  will  never  dare! 
Lies  alone  can  thy  false  lips  utter ! 

[Car/cs  with  wild  beasts.] 

Ah,  see !  a  lion  and  a  tiger !  ah  ! 

A  fearful,  horrid  sight! 
O  the  horrid  monsters !  see 

How  terrible  their  might. 

[Presents  treasure  carried  and  drawn  by  black  slaves.] 

See  the  wond'rous  treasures, 

And  the  precious  gems — all  stolen! 

Lived  but  Brittannicus  now, 

Surely  had  we 
Never  all  so  deeply  fallen! 
What  bring  the  others? 
Unendurable  quite 
This  gossip  and  chatter ! 
Never  had  he  a  right 
To  Roma's  realm  and  throne! 
You'll  chatter  your  heads  off  soon! 
Have  we  ever  in  Rome 
Seen  such  splendor  as  this  % 
Yes,  a  wond'rous  thing  for  Rome  it  is! 


NERO. 


19 


The  triumph  of  Germanieus 
More  glorius  seem'd  to  me. 
Who  with  Nero  can  in  might  compare? 
Who  with  such  glory,  aye,  hath  fed  us? 
You  forget  all  too  soon  the  shows 
That  other  Csesars  often  spread  us. 
Have  ye  not  heard  the  narrative  gory, 
The  too  hideous  deed  that  hap'd  in  Rome? 
In  secret  whisper'd  goes  the  fearful  story. 
A  mother  murder'd  her  daughter, 

And  this  before  her  guests, 
'Mid  song  and  laughter. 
Devilish  deed! 
Never  in  Rome  was  such  a  deed  e'er  done. 
O  what  terror-haunted  days  are  these  we 

live  in? 
Say,  then,  what  news  have  ye  to  give  us  ? 
Now  Caesar — Nero,  the  Great— is  at  hand ! 
He    comes!      Ah,   what    a   head!     Noble 

features ! 
The  worst  are  not  the  ugliest  creatures! 
Yes,    she    is    right;     Claudius  was    much 

finer. 
And  yet,  all  the  same,  a  donkey.     Ha,  ha, 

ha,  ha ! 
He  comes!  he  comes !  he  is  there!     See, 

he  comes! 

[Nero,  Tigcllinus,  Saccus,  Cassius,  Tcrpander, 
Scrvius  and  Priests;  then  Agrippina,  Poppcea 
and  Balbillus,  Epicharis  and  Vindcx.  The 
portals  of  the  temple  are  opened.  Senilis  and 
Priests  appear  at  the  threshold.  Nero  descends 
from  his  chariot,  leaning  upon  Terpander.] 

General  Chorus  of  the  People. 

Hail,  Nero  hail! 
Thou  art  our  Emperor;  thou  our  defender! 
Long  may  thy  life  be   with   fame  and 

glory  crown'd! 
Thou  art  the  people's  wonder  and  splendor! 

Nero,  thy  glory  shall  forever  resound! 
Thou  of  the  gods  art  beloved  indeed, 
And  thy  reign  brings  an  era  of  bliss  to  the 

wondering  world. 

[Servius  and  Priests  descend  from  the  steps  of  the 
temple.  Agrippina  is  carried  on  to  the  scene  in 
a  richly  ornamented  chair,  borne  by  slaves.  She 
throws  herself  at  Nero's  fcct.~\ 


My  son! 


Agrippina. 


Nero. 
Thou  at  my  feet?   O  mother! 

Agrippina. 

That  up  to  thee  thou  me  may'st  raise  ! 

Nero. 

All  that  estranged  us  now  be  forgotten. 
I  ween  thou  wouldst  fain  seek  thy  home; 
There  I  will  seek  thee  later. 

Agrippina. 

All  that  thy  yearning  heart  desires — 
Chrysa —  [Nero  starts.] 

Nero.  [To  the  people.] 

Good  Romans,  ye  shall  praise  with  me 
My  mother,  wThom  I  revere. 
Love  her,  too,  as  ye  me  love, 
And  in  her  honor  let  us  enjoy  the  Circen- 

sian  games. 
The  People. 

Hail,  Nero  !     What  delight!     The  Circen- 

sian  games ! 

Lupus. 
Nero,  hail !  that's  the  thing  ! 


The  circus! 


[Poppcea,  veiled,  appears,  with  Balbillus.  Slie 
points  to  the  house  of  Epicharis  and  then  enters 
it,  bidding  Balbillus  wait  for  her.~] 

» 

Scrvius. 

The  gods  above  look  down  rejoicing, 
The    wide    world    bends    beneath    thy 

tread  ! 
Here  let  us  all,  our  praises  voicing, 

Thank  those  who  watch  keep  o'er  thy 

head ! 

[Servius  ascends  the  steps  leading  to  the  temple.  He 
is  followed  by  Priests  and  by  Nero,  leading 
Agrippina.  Poppoza  comes  from  the  house  with 
Epicharis  and  Vindcx.'] 

Chorus  of  Priests. 

Jupiter,  Apollo,  Venus,  ye  heavenly  hosts, 
Virgin  Vesta,  goddess  of  fire, 
O  be  ye  shield  to  his  head,  his  shelter  and 

glory. 
Poppoza. 
[T<>  Epicharis,  pointing  to  Agrippina.'] 
Thy  daughter  is  with  Agrippina. 


20 


NERO. 


Epicliaris. 
With  Agrippina?     Can  it  be! 

Vindex. 


[To  Epicliaris.] 

Nay,  by  the  gods ;    I'll  bring  her  back  to 

thee  ! 

Popp03CL.  [To  Vindex.] 

Go  5   count  upon  me ;  I'll  give  you  every 

aid  ! 

[To  Nero.] 

Aye,  her  charms,  forsooth,  thy  heart  hath 


I  will  not   tremble,  though,    'mid  terrors 

nameless, 
If  o'er  me  watch  thy  spirit  pure  and  blame- 
less— 

I'll  save  her,  O  Nero,  from  thee! 
To  thee  wouldst  thou  fain  drag  down,  Nero, 

One  all  so  pure  and  blameless  ? 
To  thee,  yes  down  to  the  depths, 

DoAvn  to  thy  orgies  all  so  shameless  ? 
But  by  the  gods,  I  will  save  her  from  thee ! 


-avished, 


0  Nero,  prudent  be ; 


Though  once  on  thee  much  love  I  lavished, 
Know  that  for  treason  vengeance  waits 

for  thee ! 

Blind,  may'st  thou  nobler  ways  forsake, 
Mockingly  in  blood  may'st  welter; 

But  I,  the   victim   that  thou  now  wouldst 

make, 
Against  thy  lust  will  shelter. 

Within  thy  net  wouldst  thou  her  captive 

take. 
Nero — 'ware  that  victim's  cry — 
I  know  thee  well,  and  thee  defy. 
With  thee,  down  to  the  depths 
Hast  thou  long  striven  to  drag  me, 

But  by  the  gods,  I  know  thee  well,  and 

thee  defy! 

Epieharis. 

Beloved  child! 
Helpless  art  thou  before  thy  captor  shame- 
less. 
What  anguish !     O  were  I  near ! 
Filled  is  my  soul  with  terror  nameless. 
But  take  heart;   soon  freed  shall  be 
Thou  from  thy  great  misery! 
Thy  fair  young  life  to  save 
Against  the  tyrant's  rage, 
All  will,  aye,  a  mother  brave. 
Yea,  I  thee  defy  ! 
Beloved  child ! 
We'll  lead  thee  forth  to  freedom, 
Thy  fair  young  life  we'll  save. 

Vindex. 

Hapless  child;  helpless  thou  and  stainless. 
O  what  anguish !     Would  I  were  near ! 


Nero. 
I  am  God ! 

The  People. 

Hail,  Nero,  hail!  Emperor  thou,  and  God! 

Servius  and  People. 
Here  truly,  Caesar,  thou  art  God! 

Saccus,  Tcrpandcr,  Tigcllinus,  Balbillus. 
Hail,  Nero,  hail !    Now  thou  art  God! 


ACT  III. 


FIRST  DIVISION. 


[A  small  room  in  the  house  of  Epicliaris.] 

CJiri/sa. 

O  Fates,  ye  cast  your  shadows  o'er  me !  - 
Visions  of  terror  rise  up,  grim,  before  me  !— 
No,  no!    Foolish  dread!    Idle  fears! 
For  Vindex  gives  mc  ward. 
Trials  but  to  Gcd  recalling — 
Flee  ye  gloomy  phantoms  appalling — 
Sheltered  by  my  armor — I  do  not  fear — 
Strong  in  my  own  sweet  faith — 

And  God  is  ever  near.  [p^L^s- 

O  Thou  of  grace,  the  well  o'erflowinj;, 
Hear  mc  when  I  humbly  plead: 

O'er  life's  thorny  pathways  going, 
Thou  me,  Lord,  in  pity  lead. 

Be  the  flame,  that,  all-impelling, 
Courage  gives  to  hearts  that  fear: 

Be  the  star — for  ever  telling, 
That  a  new  bright  day  is  near. 


NERO. 


21 


O  reveal  in  truth  transcendent, 
What  so  long  my  soul  confess'd — 

Let  me  on  thy  earth  resplendent, 
In  his  love — on  earth  be  blest! 

O  where  does  my  mother  then  linger! 
Must  I  always  be  trembling  for  her? 
TVas  here  I  hop'd  to  find  thee — 
O  these  anxious  fears,  that  my  lovely  dream 

has  banish'd — 
Hasten,  O  mother,  to  thee  would  my  heart 
Speak  of  all  its  hopes  and  all  its  wishes: 
But  docs  she  really  love  me?     To  hope  I 

scarcely  dare! 
But  one  thing  I  know — 
That  I  love  him — love  alone  him — alone, 
Whose  noble  features  I  seek  to  banish 

Yet  ever  stay  with  me — 
And  whose  kindness  and  virtue  and  gentle 

faith 
Shall  ever  live  in  my  inmost  heart. 

[  Vindcx  appears.     Chrysa  hastens  to  greet  him.~\ 

Ah,  Vindex!    I  am  afraid! 

If  he  me  here  should  discover? 

Vindex. 

Safe  enough  art  thou  hidden! 
Led  astray  thy  pursuer, 

By  false  reports  deluded, 
He  will  not  look  for  thee  here, 

In  this  house  so  secluded. 

Here,  O  sweetest  child, 
Here  thou  shalt  find  shelter  and  rest, 
Here  too,  the  mother  her  lost  one 

Shall  clasp  to  her  breast. 

Chrysa. 

My  mother!   I  implore  thee,  say, 

Is  she  so  near! 
But  why  did  she  ever  desert  me — 

Why  stay'd  she  away? 

Vindex. 

Can'st  trust  every  word  that  I  utter — 
To  preserve  thee  from  harm, 

And  shelter  thee  from  thy  pursuers 
She  gave  thee  to  my  care — 
Confiding  thy  life  and  thy  rescue  to  my  hands. 

Chrysa. 
O  gentle  mother. 


Vindex. 

Oh,  in  truth  now  I  know 
What  all  her  sorrows  brought — 
How  can  I  ever  efface 
All  the  wrong  that  on  her  I  wrought? 

See  music  ) 

page  53-   J  Chrysa.  [In  prayer. \ 

Father  in  heaven;  Father  of  Mercy, 
In  meekness  bending,  I  would  plead  ; 

Hear  thou  my  prayer. 
O  guard  my  steps,  where'er  their  going; 
Oh  source  of  mercy,  ever-flowing, 

Leave  not  thy  child  without  thy  care. 

Vindex. 

Who  is  then  this  God  of  mercy 
From  whom  thou,  O  grief-beladen, 
Dost  comfort  borrow 

Praying  to  Heaven? 
Who  sweetens  all  thy  sorrow? 

Who  faith  hath  given 
Strong  in  a  brighter  morrow, 
Illumining  thy  soul,  O  maiden  ? 

Chrysa. 

But  thou,  who  giveth  me  ward 
With  such  gentle  devotion, 

Tell  me  what  did  I  to  thee 
That  once  thou  couldst  basely  spurn  me? 

Vindex. 

O  forgive  ;  'twas  delusion  and  madness ! 
0,  in  pity,  forgive,  forgive  me! 

Utter  once  more  the  Word 

That  from  thy  lips  I  heard; 

From  thy  lips,  and  from  above — 

The  word  of  Mercy  and  of  Love  ! 

Chrysa. 

Nay,  to  forgive — for  what  then  forgive? 
My  heart  already  with  eloquent  voice  hath 

spoken  for  thee. 

Vindcx. 
Chrysa,  I  love  thee. 

sic}  Chrysa.  [Tohendf.] 

O  fairest  dream! 
Ostay!     Take  not  thy  flight! 
Linger,  linger,  moments  sweet, 
So  sunny  and  bright ! 


page  55. 


22 


NERO. 


Ah,  he  loves  me! 


O  heavenly  glory! 
Hear  ye  the  wond'rous  story  ? 
With  him  to  die! 


Living  for  him ! 

0  dream  so  sweet  and  bright- 


Take  not  thy  flight ! 


[To  Vindex.'] 


Nay,  thou  wilt  curse  me; 
Reach  not  hither  thy  hand; 
Mine  let  it  not  touch. 

Yindex. 
What  mean  thy  words? 

Chrysa. 
I  am  a  Christian! 

Vindex. 

Chrysa — thou — a  Christian? 
I  know  what  thy  God,  aye,  teaches — 

Virtue  and  kindness. 
And  I  for  that  should  curse  thee ! 

O  that  thy  faith 
Me,  too,  converted,  so  that  thy  God 

May  be  mine  as  thine. 

[  Aside.  ] 

To  Him  I  pray, 

Thy  God  above, 
That  in  His  great  mercy 

He  thy  dear  love 
Preserve  me  alway. 

O  Chrysa,  speak! 

Chrysa. 

What  joy,  what  joy,  if  I  succeed, 

In  loving,  to  save  him? 
Him  to  my  God  to  lead? 

The  true  and  the  only  God? 
Vindex ! 

Vindex. 
Chrysa!  speak  further! 

Chrysa. 
What  shall  I  say  to  thee  ?  and  how  say  it  ? 

Vindex. 
Let  thy  heart  give  me  answer. 

Chrysa. 

Couldst  thou  yet  have  doubt 

How  my  heart  beats  for  thee  ? 


Vindex. 
O  heaven!     Words  of  her  love! 

Chrysa. 
Yea,  I  love  thee ! 

Vindex. 
O  Chrysa! 
Now  thou  art  mine !     Forever  mine ! 

Chrysa. 

Thou  lovely  dream,  take  not  thy  flight! 
Linger,  linger  hour  unblighted! 
Ah,  to  love  thee,  Avith  thee  united — 
O    moment    of   rapture,   how  joyous    thy 

sway ! 
With    thee,    in    his    love,    O  let  me  pass 

away! 
Vindex. 
O    lovely    dream,    0    stay,   take  not    thy 

flight! 
Linger,    sweet    moments,    so    sunny    and 

bright ! 
She  loves  me,  0  heavenly  glory ! 
From  her  own  lips  the  wondrous  story! 
Living  and  dying  for  thee ! 
O  dream  of  light, 
Take  not  thy  flight!  take  not  thy  flight! 
Who  is  thy  God,  who  all  so  richly  endow'd 

thee, 
And  filled  my  heart  with  holy  love  of  thee  ? 

Chrysa. 

Yes,  thou  shalt  know  Him  in  His  wondrous 

majesty. 
To  those  who  have  lov'd  him  he  opens  the 

portal 
Of  heaven  and    invites   us   to   glory   im- 
mortal ! 
Your  love  lasts  but  a  day, 
His  endures  for  aye  and  aye! 
Death  is  for  you  the  end,  the  blasting! 
But  us  he  calls,  redeem'd,  to  dwell 

With  him  in  life  everlasting ! 

[Epicharis  enters.] 

Epicharis.  \ 

My  child ! 

Chrysa. 

My  mother ! 


NERO. 


23 


Epicharis. 

Away  from  thee,  my  child, 

I  surely  had  died!  [To  rindcx. i 

The  gifts  of  the  god  be  thine! 
I  cannot  say  thee  enough ! 

Vindex. 

They  have  answered  thy  prayers. 
I  imagined  thy  life  sorely  threatened; 
Nero's  vengeance  is  death! 

Epicharis. 

He  held  me  a  prisoner! 

He  sought  to  wrest  my  secret  from  me, 

Threatening  me  with  the  tortures  of  hell! 

Chrysa. 

Ah! 

Epicharis. 

I  laughed  at  his  threats,  at  his  minions ; 
They  might  slay  me, 

I  would  not  betray  thee! 

¥  index. 
Didst  escape  from  his  power? 

Epicharis. 
They  gave  me  my  freedom. 

Vindex. 
Who  ? 

Epicharis. 

I  know  not.     He,  or  Poppsea  ? 

Vindex. 
Poppsea !     Ah ! 

Epicharis. 

Whom  dost  thou  fear? 

Vindex. 
All!  we  must  escape! 

•  Epicharis. 
Too  late!     Nero  hath  given  command 
That  the  gates  of  Rome  must  be  clos'd. 

Vindex. 

But  Poppsea  can  shelter  us — 
Provide  us  a  way  of  escape. 
Wait  for  me  here.  [To  Chrysa.] 

I  know  a  place  of  safety — 
Yon  side  the  Tiber! 


There  I'll  lead  thee  if  thou 
Place  but  thy  trust  in  me ! 

Vindex,  Chrysa. 

Rome  and  sorrow  far  behind  us, 
To  skies  unclouded  let  us  go, 

Where  united  we  may  find  us 
Bliss  our  hearts  already  know. 

Epicharis. 

O  do  not  their  glances  tender 
Speak  of  love  the  gods  bestow? 

In  him  she  a  strong  defender 
Finds  to  guard  her  here  below. 


Vindex. 


Farewell ! 


[Leaving.'} 


[Chrysa  has  followed  Vindex  to  the  door.  There  she 
remains  long  wrapt  in  thought.  Epicharis  gazes  on 
Chrysa,  goes  up  to  her  and  embraces  her  tenderly, 
bringing  her  back  to  herself  again.~\ 


Dost  love  him! 


Epicharis. 

Chrysa. 
I  love  him. 


Epicharis.  [Anxiously.'] 

And  he?    Say — hast  thou  him? 
Hath  he  thee  well  understood? 

A  single  moment  brings 

Misfortune  or  bliss! 
He  it  was — who — when  he  thee  wooed — 
Said  that  he  loved  thee — thee? 

The  daughter  of  Epicharis? 

Chrysa. 

Why,  O  my  mother,  would'st  add  to  thy 

woes — 
He  loves  me — I  love  him,  aye — 
Who  then  can  our  union  oppose 
If  thou  say  yea! 
Can  the  name  of  Epicharis  with  our  bliss 

interfere  t 
Art  thou  not  my  own  mother,  whom  I  love 

and  revere? 

Epicharis.        [  Deeply  affected.  J 

0  my  child — than  life  itself  more  treasured! 

Chrysa. 
Say,  why  dost  thou  sorrow,  0  why? 


24 


NERO. 


Epicharis. 

My  child,  my  child,  if  thou  should'st  ever 

learn 
Of  my  sorrowful  life,  then  for  me  comes 

the  grave — 

0  promise  me,  thy  mother,  never  to  curse 

me,  nor  spurn — 
The  woful  being  who  life  to  thee  gave ! 

Chrysa. 

1  e'er  curse  thee?    Curse  thee  and  spum 

thee? 
Thee,  thee,  0  mother!  [Aside.'] 

O  could  I  tell  her  that  I  am  a  Christian! 

Epicharis. 

Come  to  my  arms  that  often  held  thee 

In  childhood's  days: 
Come,  place  thy  hand  in  mine 

And  let  me  gaze 
In  thy  eyes,  O  daughter,  the  while  thou 

listen  to  me. 

[She  seats  herself  and  draws  Chrysa  towards  her. 
Chrysa  seats  herself  on  the  floor,  her  head  resting 
on  her  mother's  knees.  ] 

Dost  thou  recall  the  days,  I  cannot  number, 
The  years  gone  by — I  sat  beside  thy  bed — 
And  songs  caressing  sang  thee  to  thy  slumber, 
See  music )  ^n<^  wa*cn  kept  o'er  thy  head. 

page  58.   5 

0  sleep  my  child,  free  from  all  sorrow — 

Thy  mother  wakes! 
O  sweetly  sleep,  until  to-morrow, 

The  sunlight  breaks! 

Chrysa. 

And  our  souls  to  starlit  golden 
Realms  together  took  their  flight: 

And  in  dreams,  by  slumber  h olden 
Came  the  blissful  rest  of  night. 

Both. 

O  sleep  my  child,  free  from  all  sorrow — 

Thy  mother  wakes! 
O  sweetly  sleep,  until  to-morrow, 

The  sunlight  wakes! 

[Nero  appears.     The  women  rise  up,  terrified.] 


(The  following  is  omitted  in  the  performance)  • 

"  Chrysa,  Epicharis. 
Nero! 

NerO.  [  To  Epicharis.  ] 

Didst  think  not  sooth  so  soon  to  see  me 

again  ? 
Sweet  delusion.     I  let  thee  go,  knowing 

full  well 
The  bird,  once  out  of  its  prison,  would 
Be  easily  found  with  its  gentle  brood. 

Epicharis. 

What  wouldst  thou  of  us?    In  compassion, 
In  pity,  0  spare  us. 

Nero. 
Aye,  pity  forsooth?     By  the  gods? 
Have  I  not  mercy  shown — thou  still  among 

the  living? 
But  enough  of  this  meaningless  fear  and 

commotion — 
Is  the  love  of  an  Emperor  so  contemptible, 

so  terror-creating? 

[Looking  at  Chrysa  with  eyes  aflame  and  in  another 
tone.'] 

But  no— here  comes  not  in  the  count  the 

glory  of  Caesar's  crown, 

Yea — of   its  own  free    will   shall  Beauty 

offer  its  homage. 

Epicharis. 

His  words  and  his  eyes  of  flame, 
Chill  me  clear  to  the  heart. 

Nero. 

Caesar's  god-given  will, 
Stoops  to  plead  with  thee; — 

O  this  delirium  still — 
That  thou  hast,  awakened  in  me. 

Come  and  robe  thee  in  splendor, 
As  a  queen  to  live  and  move; 

Thou  art  the  world's  enchantment 
And  worthy  of  Nero's  love! 

Phoebe's  lumining  light 
Spread  its  refulgence  around  thee; 

Transfigured  thee  111  the  night, 
There  when  first  I  found  thee! 

Conquered  complete — 
Was  Nero,  who  bends  at  thy  feet. 

Forgive  me  for  such  licence  taking — 
Sweet  one,  no  longer  art  thou, 


NERO. 


25 


In  the  monster's  power  now: 

Come  and — ah,  the  beating  still, 
Of  a  heart  that  is  breaking; 
Caesar  is  conquered:  and  bends  to  thy  will! 

Chnjsa.  [To  herself.] 

Nor  the  rack,  nor  the  torture, 
Nor  the  martyrs'  flaming  fires, 
Can  awaken  the  terror 
That  Nero's  love  inspires. 

Ep  icharis.  [  To  herself.  ] 

The  misery,  the  destruction — 
In  his  glance  the  horrors  dire — 
He  dares  in  his  madness 
To  purity  aspire. 

Nero. 
Well,  Chrysa ! 

Chnjsa. 
Be  gone ! 

Nero. 

Afraid  art  thou!     Is  it  Poppaea? 

Well  then,  she  shall  be  the  price.     I  will 

Danish  her; 
What  more  wouldst  thou  have  ?     Her  life  f 


Chrysa. 

Nero. 
What  more  forsooth ! 


Ah! 


Chrysa. 

Thy  hate ! 

Nero. 


Senseless  answer! 

Chrysa. 

Hadst  thou  aught  left  of  honor, 
Say  what  could  I  do  to  revile  it — 

Caesar,  Caesar — degraded  by  thy  crimes? 

Epicharis. 

Ah  Chrysa! 

NerO.  [Aside.] 

Oh  why  must  I  suffer  here  such  disgrace? 
To  me,  Caesar,  shame  all  so  nameless — 
Caesar  repulsed  by  a  creature  shameless! 
She,  to  whom  I  threw  down 
Basely  my  realm  and  my  crown! 
Traitrous  one ! 


Thou  hast  thy  sentence  upon  thee  provok'd. 

As  my  slave  follow  me  hence — 
Aye  to  my  chariot  as  booty  cnyoked — 

Thou  the  daughter  of  impenitence! 

[Epicharis,   dumbstruck,  falls  upon  her  knees  and 
clasps  Chrysa's  knees.] 

Chrysa. 

0  mother — calm  thyself, 

Be  thine,  too,  the  faith  that  in  me  lives; 

For  God,  who  all  judges  aright, 
Is,  aye,  the  God  who  loves  and  forgives! 

Nero. 
Enough!     Obey  me!     Come! 

[He  attempts  to  drag  Chrysa  away.] 


Sooner  I'll  die ! 


Chrysa. 


Nero. 


[Poppcsa  appears.'] 


Poppaea? 

Poppcea. 

Behold !  Verily  Caesar  hath  not  deceiv'd  me, 
He  loves  Chrysa — not ! 

[Sheltering  Chrysa  with  her  arms.] 

Venture  not  to  approach  her. 
Nero. 

[Rushing  to  the  door  at  the  back.  ] 

Oho !     Guards ! 

[The  clatter  of  arms  is  heard.] 

Saccus. 

Caesar!     Caesar!     Horror!     Rome  stands 

in  flames! 
Nero. 

[Suddenly,  with  a  calm,  cynical  laughter.] 

By  Hercules!     It  quite  escap'd  from  my 

mind ! 
Saccus. 

What  ? 

Nero. 

I  gave  up  Rome  a  prey  to  the  flames. 
Yes,  'twas  I,  who  gave  the  command. 

Poppcea,  SaCCUS.  [Aside] 

Another  outrage!     A  newer  madness! 
O  woe  is  Rome! 


26 


NERO. 


Nero. 

A  wondrous  sight  it  must  be — 
A  sight  for  the  gods  themselves ! 

SaCCUS.  [Bitterly.'] 

Yes,  wonderful;    but  us,  too,  the  fire  will 

destroy  ! 
Nero. 

[Is  about  to  depart,  but  an  alarming  noise  outside 
checks  his  steps.] 

So  come! 

Poppcea.  [To  Nero.] 

Hear'st  thou  the  noise  ?     They  are  Rome's 


Nero. 


avengers. 


The    people — is    it    not?     demanding    the 

wretches. 
So  be  it.     Give  them  up  to  them! 

Saccus. 
Whom,  then,  whom? 

Nero. 

[  .Is  if  searching  for  an  idea,  then  with  great  coolness.] 

TV  hy — th  e  C  hri  stian  s ! 

[Saccus  hastens  away.] 
Poppcea.  [To  herself] 

O  Nero,  this  outrage  shall  bring  thee  still 

newer  retribution, 
For  thy  Chrysa,  through  me,  shall  die  ! 

Chorus. 

Death  to  all  Christians! 
The  monsters  shall  die! 

Nero.     [In  ironic  gentleness.] 

Thy  hand — incomparable  Poppaea — 

Nero's  guardian  and  saint ! 
The  show  well  deserves,  forsooth, 

That  we  should  give  it  attention — 
And  admiring,  applaud  to  the  echo! 

Nero  leads  Poppcea  by  the  hand  and  goes  with  her  to 
view  the  conflagration." 


(  TRANSFORMATION. ) 


SECOND    PART. 

[Public  Square  in  Rome —  With  a  view  <f  the  City  and 
the  Tower  of  Mcecenas. 

Chorus  of  the  Roman  People. 

First  Chorus. 
See  the  famishing  flames 
That  light  up  the  night 
With  their  glare — 
0  may  the  curse 
Of  God  on  him  rest 
Who  Rome's  destruction  could  dare. 

[Another  group  comes  in,  horror  stricken.^ 

Second  Chorus. 

Night  of  awe  and  of  dread! 
O  whither  fly?    Through  the  flame's  fierce 

breath ! 
Whither  we  flee  there  is  misery  and  death ! 
0  woe — fall  do  the  walls  on  our  head — 

A  funeral  pyre — 
All  Rome  is  devour'd  by  the  ravaging  fire ! 

[Another  group  of  panic  stricken  people  arrive.] 

All. 

To  death  with  all  the  Christians ! 
Search  for  the  monsters ! 

To  death,  the  accursed  ones, 
Caesar  gives  them  up  to  our  ire; 
Blot  them  from  the  earth  by  slaughter  and 

fire. 

[The  people  disperse,  threatening  death  to  the  Chris- 
tians.    The  conflagration  spreads.] 


Scene  II. — Vindex,  Epicharis,  Chrysa;  then  Nero, 
Poppa'a,  Saccus,  Tigellinus,  Balbillus,  and  a  number 
of  Augustans. —  Chrysa  is  brought  in,  supported  by 
Vindex  and  Epicharis. 

Chrysa. 

I  can  not  further ! 
My  strength  has  all  gone  from  me  I 
Here,  mother,  I  would  die! 

Vindex  and  Epicharis. 
O  save  her,  save  her,  ye  gods ! 

[Nero  is  seen  on  the  Tower  of  Maecenas  with  Pop- 
poja,  Saccus,  Tigellinus f  and  some  of  the  Augus- 
tans. ] 


NERO. 


27 


Yindex. 

Who  is  he  yonder,  on  the  tower  of  Mae- 
cenas? 
Nero! 

EpickariS.  [To  Chrysa.] 

My  feet  will  bear  me  no  more ! 

[She  drays  herself  painfully  to  a  bench  at  the  side  of 
a  house.  ] 

Nero. 
What  a  sight,  my  friends,  of  grandeur  un- 

equaled ! 

\_To  one  of  the  Augustans.] 

A  lyre ! 

VindeX.  [For  himself.] 

O  mockery  of  hell ! 

Chrysa. 
O  mercv,  Lord  and  God! 

Nero. 

[Accompanying  himself  on  the  lyre.] 

See  music  (  t 

page  63.   5  ■»-. 

OIKon! 

Ollion! 
By  the  gods  themselves  upbuilt  in  pride ! 
By  the  tears  of  a  goddess  sanctified, 
Thy  glow  now  reddens  the  heavenly  dome, 
In  which  thou  wilt  sink,  O  haughty  Rome, 

Like  Ilion! 
Thy  walls,  on  which  glorious  battles  were 

fought, 
And  the  avenging  wrath  of  the  gods  set  at 

naught, 
Have  fallen;   only  the  ruins,  the  graves  of 

the  dead, 
Remain  to  speak  of  thy  former  grandeurs 

fled. 
II. 

O  Ilion, 
O  glorious  Pergamon! 
Beshadowed  by  Ida's  hallowed  height. 
How  golden  thy  sheen  in  the  fiery  light! 
Thy  glow  now  reddens  the  heavenly  dome — 
In  it  thou  wilt  sink,  O  haughty  Rome ! 

Thy  foes  up  from  the  iEgean  arise, 

And  the  guilt  of  love  and  beauty  chastise, 

Blinded  folly,  thy  rage   could  do   naught 

but  destroy ! 
And  vanished  forever  is  glorious  Troy  ! 


Poppcea. 

Wilder  than  the  fire's  fury 
Rages  the  fire  of  hate  within  me! 

Saccus,  TigeUinuSj  Balbillus. 

Inspired  by  the  wondrous  song  and  story, 
His  soul  awakens  to  its  former  glory ! 

Chrysa,  Epicharis,  Yindex. 
Sing  on,  ignoble,  o'er  Rome's  misfortunes 

laud  thee, 
While  Roma's  coward  people  all  applaud 

thee! 

[The  conflagration  spreads  more  and  more.  The 
people,  women,  the  aged  men,  children,  almost 
crazy  from  fear,  come  in  from  all  sides.] 

Chorus  of  People. 

Night  of  awe  and  of  dread! 

O  whither  flee  through  the  flames'  fierce 

breath — 
Whither  we  flee  there  is  misery  and  death! 
O  woe !  fall  the  walls  on  our  head ! 

Death  to  the  Christians  accursed! 
To  death  are  they  condemned! 
Csesar  gives  them  up  to  our  ire; 
Blot  them  from  the  earth  by  slaughter  and 

fire! 

NerO.  [On  the  tower.} 

Slaughter  them!  show  them  no  mercy  ! 
To  death  !     Put  them  all  to  death ! 

Chrysa. 
O  madman! 

Epicharis,  Yindex. 
O  Chrysa! 

The  People. 

[Seeing  Nero  on  the  Tower.  ] 

Hail,  Caesar,  hail! 

[Chrysa  attempts  to  raise  herself  and  strives  to  reach 
the  tower.  Epicharis  and  Vindex  seek  to  restrain 
her.  ] 

Chrysa. 
Let  me  go  !     Let  me  go! 

[Chrysa  frees  herself  and  reaches  the  people.} 

The  People. 
Hail,  Caesar,  hail! 
He  comes  in  our  need  to  protect  us  I 
He  indeed  can  save  us! 


28 


NERO. 


Hail,  Csesar!  thou  whom  the  gods  eternal 
As  lord  and  father  gave  us! 

Chrysa. 

[Addressing  the  j^ople.] 

Men  of  Rome ! 

NCVO.     [Recognizing  Chrysa.  ] 

Earth  and  heaven !      Chrysa  ! 

[He  suddenly  descends  from  the  Tower,  followed  by 
Poppcea  and  some  of  his  suite.] 

Chrysa. 

[Pointing  to  the  burning  Pome.'] 

Ye,  my  brothers — Romans  all — 
Why  do  ye  not  rise  up,  seeing  this  deed  of 

hell! 
O  ye  deluded!   Innocent  Christians 
Ye  murder  instead  of  yonder  monster. 

The  People. 
Who  is  the  girl?    What  does  she  want? 
With    reckless    daring    a    Csesar   forsooth 

defying — 
Curses  and  death  to  all  Christians — 
Slaughter  the  wretches!    Death  to  all! 

Epicharis. 

O  my  child — Helpless  Chrysa! 
What  hast  thou  done? 

[Nero  enters,  preceded  by  Tigellinus,  BalbiUus  and 
Saccus,  who  make  a  way  for  him  through  the  crowd. 
Poppcea  follows.  ] 

Saccus,  Tigellinus  and  BalbiUus. 
Way!    Way!    for  Csesar! 

Nero. 

Ha!   Chrysa!  Now  thou  art  mine! 
Forever  mine! 

Chrysa. 

[Seeing  Nero  comes  to  a  sudden  determination.'] 

Ye  Romans — 
Hear  the  behests  of  Nero,  your  Csesar — 
See — a  Christian. 

Vindex.  [To  Chrysa.] 

O  Prudence! 

Nero. 

She  lies ! 

Epicharis. 
What  said  she?     Chrysa  a  Christian! 


Popp&a. 

Nay, 

by  all  the 

!  gods,  she  lieth  not! 

Thou 

Yes, 

Nero. 
fury! 

Chrysa. 
a  Christian! 

[To  Poppcea.] 

The  People. 

A  Christian — then  she  is  doom'd. 

[  Chrysa  is  forcibly  wrested  from  Yindex  and  Epicharis.] 

All. 
Ah! 

[Chrysa  falls,  struck  down  by  the  people.    Epicharis 
supports  her  in  her  arms.  J 

Nero. 
Brutal  murderers! 

Poppcva. 

[Leaving,  casting  a  glance  of  despair  on  Nero.] 

That  is  my  revenge! 

Chrysa.  [Dying.] 

Mother — lov'd  one — sorrow  laden. 

Epicharis. 
O  lov'd — 0  hapless,  dearest  child! 

[  Chrysa  dies.  ] 

Vindex. 

Thou     Csesar — remember — Chrysa     and 

Rome! 
Though  your  gods  themselves  be  deaf — 
There  needs  but  one  man — that  she 
And  Rome  be  avenged  ! 

[He  draws  his  sivord  and  clears  a  way  for  himself 
amid  the  crowd,  disappearing.] 

The  People. 
Ha,  the  alien!    The  alien! 

Nero. 

Yonder  wretch — he  must  be  captured — 
Living  or  dead! 

[  The  people  are  about  to  pursue  Yindex,  but  the  fire 
compells  them  to  desist.  ] 

The  People. 

Ah — the  fire  is  closing  in  steadily  on  us — 
The  flames  they  are  spreading  and  death 

is  upon  us. 


NERO. 


29 


Nero. 

Grovelling;,  outcast  wretches! 
Murderers — I  curse  ye  all! 

[He  leaves,  bidding  Saccus,  TigeUinus  and  BalbiUus 
to  follow.     The  people  also  follow,  lamenting.'] 

Saccus,  TigeUinus  and  BalbiUus. 
Hail,  Nero,  hail! 

Epicharis. 

[Alone,  pointing  to  the  coi~psc  of  her  davgliter.] 
Vile  assassins !    Her  God  will  avenge  her — 
Thou,  ray  Chrysa,  dead! 

Consume  me,  ye  friendly  flames ! 
[The  house  on  the  steps  of  which  Epicharis  lies  stretch- 
ed, falls  in  ruins  and  buries  mother  and  daughter.  ] 


ACT  IV. 


FIRST  DIVISION. 


[The  interior  of  the  Mausoleum  of  Augustus.  The 
bronze  doors  open  noisily.  Nero  comes  upon  the 
scene.  He  seats  himself  on  a  stone  block  to  get 
breath.  ] 

Nero. 
Yes,  Nero  flies !    And  the  storm  fast  follows. 
All  have  betrayed  me — all  me  deserted. 
The  great  earth  trembles ;  the  heavens  are 

wrath — 
I  am  here  alone,  around  me  the  Night! 

Nero,  alas,  thy  hours  are  now  numbered. 
Galba,     Vindex — the     Gallians'     reckless 

horde, 
And  all  the  Legions  against  me !    The  peo- 
ple rage ! 
The  heavens  are  filled  with  signs  appalling, 
The  world  in  chaos  is  falling — 
The  sun's  lumining  light — 
Changed  to  darkness  and  night ! 

[A  fearful  clap  of  thundt  r  is  heard.'] 

Rage  on,  O  wrathful  thunder! 

Winn  on  me  thy  bolts  are  hurled 
Then  rend  thou  asunder, 

With  me,  the  rolling  world. 
Where  am  I?     Whither  has  fate 

Sent  me  to  hide? 
A  toinb ! 


Is  it  not  that  I  see  in  the  gloom — 
O'er  it  a  vaulted  dome — 
11  Augustus?" 
And  thou — is  it  thou  whom  the  world  once 

call'd  great  ? 
Octavius  first,  then  Augustus? 
Was  he  then  juster  and  milder  than  Nero? 
Nay;  success — that  was  his  sole,  his  great- 
est virtue! 
A   Voice. 

[From  tlie  tomb.     Ccesar  starts  back  in  terror.] 

Nero ! 

Nero. 

Whose  voice  is  it  that  calls  me  ? 

[The  walls  of  the  rotunda  open;    Shades   appear; 
among  them  Nero's  victims.] 

Aye,  eternal  gods, 
Open  the  graves  of  themselves? 
Do  they  give  up  their  dead? 
Restless  shades !    Avengers  remorseless, 

What  would  ye  of  me  ? 
Claudius !     Britannicus !     Octavia ! 

The  Shade  of  Claudius. 
Once  thy  Emperor ! 

The  Shade  of  Britannicus. 
Thy  brother! 

The  Shade  of  Octavia. 
Thy  wife! 

Nero. 

Agrippina ! 

The  Shade  of  Agrippina. 
Thy  mother! 

[The  shades  of  Petronius,  Lucanus,  Thraseas,  Seneca, 
Burrhus,  Piso,  Iiufus,  and  others.  ] 

Nero. 
And  ye  all  ? 

The  Shades. 
Thy  teachers— thy  friends— thy  flatterers! 

Poppazds  Shade. 
1  am  Poppaca! 

Chryscts  Shade. 
I  am  ( ihrysa  ! 


30 


NERO. 


Nero. 

Poppsea!     Chrysa! 

All  the  Shades. 

Assassin!       Brother-murderer!       Mother- 
murderer  ! 

[An  aged   Christian  (the  one   of   Act  II.)    and  a 
number  of  Christians,  men  and  women,  appear.] 

Nero. 

O  ye  gods,  how  many ! 
Yes,  I  remember  them — 
Christians  whom  I  strangled — 
Who  were  cast  into  the  arena — 
Burnt! — as  living  torches 
To  illumine  my  banquets. 
O  ye  gods,  how  many  ! 

The  •Shades  of  the  Christians. 
Vile  assassin !  Brother-murderer  !  Mother- 
murderer  !    Strangler  of  Christians ! 

Nero. 

Ah,  blood — yes,  blood — 

From  my  crown  it  trickles  down  on   my 

brow! 
O  horror!  burns  into  my  brain  ! 
Swells  to  a  stream  and,  aye,  would  drown 

me! 
What  would  ye  then  now,  ye  furies'? 
Ah,  how  it  scorches  my  heart — 
Voice  of  my  conscience,  dost  thou  call  me 

murderer? 
The  Shades. 
Nero  !  Nero  !  Nero  ! 

Nero. 
Ah! 

( TRANSFORHA  TION. ) 

SECOND    DIVISION. 

[A  road  on  the  Campagna — Rome  is  seen  in  the  dis- 
tance—  The  Gallian  legions  enter,  then  Vindex 
and  leaders."] 

%es™f\    Chorus  of  the  Legions. 
He  sang  so  much,  so  much,  did  Caesar, 
Till  his  song  awakened  the  Gallic  bird  ; 

aye, 
He  sang  so  loud,  so  loud,  did  Csesar, 
Till  together  our  Vindex  his  Gallians 

call'd; 


He  sang  so  well,  so  well,  did  Csesar, 

As  if  he,  the  singer,  the  hisses  had  heard; 

aye, 
He  ran  so  fast,  so  fast,  did  Csesar, 

But  far  faster  follow'd  him  Galba,   the 

bold! 
He  rul'd  so  well,  so  well,  did  Csesar, 
That   he   roll'd   the  world   all   up   in   a 

tangle ; 
He  ruled  so  well,  so  well,  did  Csesar, 

That  his  people  sent  him  to  Orcus  grim ; 
He  murder'd  so  well,  so  well,  did  Csesar, 
That  his  minions  fain  would  their  master 

strangle ; 
He  murder'd  so  well,  so  well,  did  Csesar, 
That  Death  has  now  sent  out  his  sum- 
mons for  him. 

[Vindex  appears,  followed  by  other  leaders,  carrying 
the  standard  banners  and  other  military  insignia.  ] 

The  Legions. 
Hail,  Vindex,  hail! 

Vindex. 

The  name  that  I  would  greet  is  Vengeance! 
And  to  Rome  it  now  leads! 

The  Legions. 
To  Rome !     On,  on  to  Rome  ! 

Vindex. 

A  duty  sacred  now  calls  us, 
And  the  victory  is  ours ! 
Ye  warriors,  strike  now  for  vengeance 

At  the  tyrant's  guilty  might, — 
Off  the  people's  fetters  striking — 
By  Nero's  death — to-night! 
Ye   Romans,   earth   and  heaven  in  wrath 

have  spoken ! 
The  storm  descends;  his  power  be  surely 

broken. 
The  morn  shall  hear  the  call, 

Loud  as  the  thunder ; 
Let  shame  and  evil  fall, 
Trample  them  under. 
On  the  day  that  Csesar  dies 
Thou,  0  Rome,  again  shalt  rise! 

The  Chorus. 
Csesar,  aye,  when  Csesar  dies, 
Thou,  0  Rome,  again  shalt  rise! 


NERO. 


31 


Yinclex. 
He  murdered  all, 

The  loving,  and  blameless, 
His  powers  he  used  with 

Violence  shameless. 
The  o-olden  mine  of  Rome's  defenders 

Disgraced  hath  he  oft, — 
And  Roma's  splendors ! 
Caesar  shall  die!      When  Caesar  dies 
Thou,  O  Rome,  again  shall  rise. 
Ye  Romans,  earth  and  heaven 

In  wrath  have  spoken! 
The  storm  descends, 

Let  Caesar's  power  be  broken ! 
The  morn  shall  hear  the  call, 

Loud  as  the  thunder; 
Let  shame  and  evil  fall, 

Trample  them  under! 

[To  the  soldiers. ] 

Forward,  all! 
Let  not  Xero  living  escape  from  his  doom ! 

Forward,  all! 
That  with  Galba  as  victors  we  march  into 

Rome ! 
There  the  laurels  hallow'd  see ! 
Open,  the  way;  come,  follow  me! 

Rome  expects  us;  yea, 
Ye'll  bring  her  glory  and  peace  again, 
And  golden  freedom  shall  reign. 

[At  a  sign  from  Yindex  the  legions  leave,  filing  past 
him  and  the  other  leaders,  singing.'] 

Chorus  of  Legions. 

He  sang  so  well,  so  well,  did  Caesar, 

Till  his  song  awakened  the  Gallic  bird; 

He  sang  so  well,  so  well,  did  Csesar, 
Till  Vindex  together  his  Gallians  call'd ! 

Scene  II. — Nero,  followed  by  Saccus,  emerges  from  the 
bushes  on  the  roadside. 

SaCCUS.  [Mockingly.'] 

What  now  friend  Caesar  1 

Nero. 

I  have  left  Rome  a  prey  to  the  plundering 

legions  uncheck'd; 

Devon i-  again  may  the  flames  the  arrogant 

city. 

And  as  my  parting  gift  111  let  loose  the  wild 

beasts  among  them. 


Let  be  strangled  together  all  the  necks  of 

the  aliens, 
Theirs  and  the  cohorts',  and  above  all,  the 

Gallians"; — 
I  will  poison  the  Senate. 

Saccus. 
To  whom  shall  I  take  thy  behest? 

Nero.  [Bewailingly.'] 

What  ?     Has  my  hour  so  quickly  arrived  ? 
Must  Nero  die  ? 

Saccus. 
Our  horses  can  take  us  no  further ! 

Nero. 
Ah,  what  an  artist  here  will  be  lost! 

[Steps  are  heard  approaching.] 
Nero.  [Terrified.] 

Hearken ! 

Let  us  flee  to  the  laurel  groves, 
And  like  the  nymphs,  the  antique, 
There  die,  according  to  the  rules  of  art. 

A  Centurion. 

[In  the  background.] 

He  sang  so  well,  so  well,  did  Caesar, 

Till  his  song  awakened  the  Gallic  bird; 

aye, 
He  sang  so  well,  so  well,  did  Caesar — 
Who  is  there? 

Nero.  [To  Saccus.] 

Let  us  flee! 

The  Centurion. 

O  triumph !     'Tis  Nero ! 
Mine  be  the  glory  to  capture  the  monster 

alive ! 
Holla !  companions  !  quick,  this  way ! 

Nero. 
Living,  said  he  ? 

Saccus. 

That  he  may  put  the  yoke  around  thee! 
Rememberst  thou  not  the  Caudinian  yoke? 

The  Centurion. 
'Tis  he!     It  is  Nero! 

[  He  signs  to  a  soldier  to  sound  the  trumpet  call,  in 

order  to  inform  I'inrf  x.  ] 

Nero, 
Saccus,  give  me  thy  blade! 


32 


NERO. 


Saccus. 

[Handing  him  a  dagger. ] 

Here,  be  quick  ! 

Nero. 

Ah!  a  wondering  world  shall  gaze  and  ap- 
plaud ! 

[He  hesitates  to  plunge  the  dagger  into  his  breast.'] 

0  friend,  do  thou  with  thy  example  teach 

me  how! 
Saccus. 

Nay;  but  if  thou  wilt,  I  will  assist  thee  ! 

[He  takes  the  dagger  and  plunges  it  into  Nero's  heart.  ] 

Nero. 

1  fall! 

Saccus. 
Quick!     It  will  not  give  the  the  slightest 


pain 


[ Tlie  legions  hasten  upon  the  scene.      Vindex,  too,  ar- 
rives. ] 

The  Centurion. 

[Pointing  to  Nero.~\ 

Too  late ! 

Vindex. 
Dead! 
Nero,  mindest  thou — Chrysa  and  Rome! 


O  this  devotion! 


Ha !     Monster ! 


Nero. 


Saccus. 


[Reviving.  ] 


Vindex,  Saccus,  Chorus  of  the  Legions. 

Nero  dead!  Nero  dead! 

Avenged  is  the  world ; 

Accurs'd  shall  be  his  name — 

Foul  disgrace  his  fame; 

To  all  time  a  terror; 

Yea,  loathing  and  shame! 
So  sinks  down  what  once  was  built  up  in 

pride. 
The  ruins  fall — Caesar's  might  and  rule  to- 
gether. 

[  The  soldiers  remain  with  Nero's  body.  Vindex  and 
Saccus  go  on  one  side  and  whisper  together. 
Suddenly  in  the  heavens  there  appears  a  halo  of 
light,  in  the  midst  of  which  is  seen  the  form  of  a 
Crot&.~\ 


Chorus  of  the  Christians. 

[Behind  the  scene?,  ] 

Lo,  our  Lord  and  Savior  comes! 

Vindex. 

Ah,  Saccus  !     What  thy  message  ? 

Saccus. 

Rome  hails  with  joy  the  day — 
Glad  that  her  woes  are  ended, 

And  Nero  sunk  to  clay. 

Vindex. 

Yea,  Galba's  work  was  not  in  vainr 
For  Peace  is  Rome's  again ! 

The  Legion. 

[Who  have  stayed  with  the  corpse  of  Nero.  J 

Murderer !  thoughtest,  forsooth,  couldst  thy 

vile  head  rescue. 
Sing  away,  merry  jester! 
Yea,  bellow,  gnash  thy  teeth ; 
Tear  to  pieces  thy  victims! 
Murderer !     Brute ! 
Bloodthirsty  hyena,  bellow  and  roar! 

Some  of  the  Soldiers. 

[Perceiving  the  wondrous  sign  in  the  shv.  "J 

Ah !   see  there,  how  it  shines !     There  t 

Others. 
Where  1  tell  us  where  ? 

First  Group. 
There ;  a  Cross,  in  a  halo  of  light ! 

[All  hare  left  Nero's  body  to  gaze  at  the  sign  in  the 
sky.  ] 

Vindex.  [Seeing  the  sign."} 

Marvellous  symbol, — dazzlingly  bright ! 

Saccus. 
Bodes  it  weal  or  destruction  ? 

Vindex. 

No,  no  ;  a  mighty  God  with  us  will  be  j 
He  will  not  let  his  people  perish ! 

Saccus. 
The  gods  are  still  with  Rome ! 

The  Legion. 
The  gods  will  protect  us  and  Rome! 


END    OF   THE   OPERA. 


NERO. 


33 


Moderate)  con  moto. 
Chrysa. 

a: 


-N- 


v 


-J.  y ^ £-H 


-? 


K-N ^ 1  — 


£ 1 L--j H H^ * =  £  J-I 


VlKDEX. 


Oh  mother,  oh    rnoth-er  why  from  me  wert  tak   -  en?      oh,  what  cru  -  el   la; 


£6s 


&& 


31 


_J_^ y > > ^ l_- 


^te==fc)^5^ 


3*.—* 


^K- 


-  — r—  m — m- 


-L-y — + 5 

drove  thee        a  -  way  from  me?        And  yet       I     am  thine,  though  by  thee    for  -  sa  -  ker>, 


§L¥§=1==tS-: 


child 


so     for 


sak 


en. 


gi*=8 


J. 

-#- 
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^S 


-**=:& 


rt: 


*-a-#H— 

f-'-H»— #— 


5    x  < 


til 


-V 


, w 1 1- 


My  loving  heart        beats  but  for  thee,  my  loving  heart. 


~N '— 0-. 

C y E_ 


beats  but  for  tine. 


-*#- 


-X0 *_  -tt 


-V — V — 9— 


:=r=i«= 


EEEEE^ 


What 


gen  -  tie      ma    -    -    gic    hath      led thee  here         to      me ! , 


I  crac.   .......     J  ~c  n  2^= 


34 


NERO. 


poco  animato. 

Ja_« « |: 


Szl=t?=b— r=*^ 


_,_« 


--=)■ 


811=1 


And  tho'  thou  art 


T" 


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=4: 


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^ 


•so       far      from  rue, 
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0- 


V — :- 


:F: 


My   lov  -  ing  heart         beats   aye     for  thee, 


=£=  =?=*=* 


-C—m--— 


Oh,    what    rap  -  ture  sweet 


tizzzbcib^S 

dost  thou  a    -    wak 


?-t- 


en, 


4:~  Jz==fz3z=a  3=rf= 


:q"-^ 


f: 


0  ■ 0 1 0  —I 1 


rs=35s%-£ 


poco  animato. 


-I- 


^E=fe= 


& 


#-T 


my  loving  heart ... .    beats....    ev 


er,  ev  -  er  for    thee. 


a>r 


My  loving  heart 


tt 


§i!$E': 


£•- 


:#=e=y 


!r— t 


hP=t^ 


tH 


siSi 


i=?=*== 


-&-•-• 


"What      a  gem 

Mi_ij'rnz£H; 


I  find  in  thee ! 


JJs^d-^-^d^H-  -J-»^#-4^-»- 


what  a    gem      I     find    in  thee !    what       a  gem 


§§!§r 


"  rit  a  tempo.  v     ,  — =CT 

J -l rV  ,        -r -=F=rTj— ^J^rM Tj~ 

q q tq »_i _t#_x #_*_««_tp p_pqr_tq #'-,_ 

-**.  _  — _  —  ■>. J JIL   1        — .  — —    " 


f 


I 


^     -» 


f 


I 


a  tempo. 


^ ~ ^ 


beats  . . 


-5 — *-# — 0- 


:£= 


p~ — a_^_=pc-|_|g  • 


ev  -  er  for    thee, 


CV§  >tt * « « I— 

!3i#u5!!!_| | | •__ 


~==r=^ 


ev  -  er       for  thee,  my  lov  -  ing    heart 


-«-a— p p- 


y=:pz==t: 


£ 


I     find    in   thee!  what      a     gem    I     find      here     in    thee,     Thou  love         1i  -    est 


J 


-/!?— i 

* 


-I #— I , (— | 1 0-F 1 


i=5=t=t= 


r_#_# l# — # — 0~\ — i — 1-»  0-\ — i — \^i- 

**    Li     i       y_^.      *^  **" 


Jr- 


i^-q^z:^ 


:tzt: 


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Ji: 


F 


:p_zzz=d=q: 
X— =3za: 


^^ 


XEEO. 


35 


v— i 


»i=-=*=^l^=S=s 


if**' 


^  7  j     1     M= 


:=E*=*=^ 


-0    ■!-&■.■ 

beats  aye  for    thee, 


IX= 


beats 


aye 


-O  -■=- 

tor 


S 


-# p. 

-i j — 

-> — +-- 


■&■ 


thee. 


child,        What  geu 


tie   ma   -    gic  draws  rue  now     to     thee ! 


1 1  -  0-0 J3#-# 1 \-0-S- 


^         ^  + 


— * * — I — I — i — 1_  0—    —0 — ! — I — 


3=t 


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a= 


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ztiz*: 


« » 


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■■ 

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q  #  f-d-A-X 

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rzz-zt: 


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i 


f-2-J± 


I: 


Mmleralo  assai. 


-i    44 


Cho.  Soprano. 


m- 'F8 — * — «— ~»y-» — *— : 


Deck  thee  with  the  tu  -  uic 


-0--0--0--0+-0-       "-0-     -0-     -0-  +' 


:#-*  ztFT 


/> 


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~r~r  i  T~i    ^ 

1 


*=j= 


fair, 

Alio. 

:  '^- 

?v — 0— 


.0 Z 

v=» 


— # — ■_  , — 


in     to-  ga  should  no  wife       ap-pear;  braided    be    thy   bri-dal 

zs:p=N=z=zK=N 


*=*=3=£. 


— K- 

— I— 


3==rv 


zz 


=|: 


Deck  thee  with  the    tu  -  nic   fair,  in     to  -  ga  should  no  wife       ap-pear;  braid 


-=f=^_=£ 
thv  bri-dal 


|  ^z=j=i=e=iziri|—  * 

0 0 0 0 * -— 


mm 


— 0 — I. 

Zm—lz-r 

*m  —  t      0 


Ml  J    U    '  l_J     < j 

-•-•-•--*      -  4> — » — 0 — •- — --  -i 

\tJLJ—0'  •  J  t:* — » — »=;«_; £_: 


ft 


»»; 


^TzgEE  E;=5=5=?ZHz:  EE=p3=5=r=[=zz*^ZS-?F=fz.  - 


36 


NERO. 


g 


* 5— r * 


:h — £ — p — pi— y — V— 


■ss^. 


i=t 


hair,      as      is    cus-tom,  with  the  spear !   'Round  thy  loins  the  gir- die  place, 


sfcb 


q 


5 N— M 


hair,     as      is     cus-tom,  with  the    spear ! 


'Round  thy  loins  the  gir  -  die 


:-r 


W 


B£^=S£e!e 


3: 


mf 


• 0 0—0 = ' 


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w  w w ^ 5 ^  ^  ^  ^  ^      - 

» — 9  —  »—  » — * g 1 — I — * *— 


Ife^ 


-V 


—i — y- 


t= 


:pz=fc 


-y-- 


:t}» — y — y — b* 


£=q 


a-round  thy  brow  the  cir    -    clet    cling  !  the    veil        the  bride  must  grace,  here  the  wreath  that 


r-fc 


■rN— rN" 


*—m- 


i- 


-H 1 

-0 ,- 


-H 
a 


Z± 


EZS==*==E 


place,  a-round  thy  brow  the  cir    -    clet    cling !  the    veil        the  bride  must  grace,  here  the  wreath  that 


j_j_r_ .  j 


^EJ=i=H*S =*" 


»»5J 


_-* I £ ». » M- 


-&^=-. 


••'-'^.—r 


-0 — 0 — W0  — 0  — 0— i — -!-'— *-#*,.;  - 


i*|u  ?  ft     — -I 


-» — a» # »■ 


;^s=E 


» I  \  lS-^  * 


1  :' 


XEBO. 


37 


> 


g  —  * 3> 


_* 

fc 


CV- 


£ 


-# 
/" 
• 


(-- 


joy  shall    bring! 


With    the      tu  -  nic  then  deck  thee,    nor      in       to   -   ga     ap  -  pear. 


N- 


—* * :*;— ^i 1 


With    the      tun   -  ic  then  deck  thee,    nor      in       to  -  go     ap  -  pear, 


-# — #- 


w 


■ — P 


-y— 


— i— 


=t 


-I H- 


u4c 


^ 


braid  thy  bri  -  dal     hair,    as   wont    is,     with     the  spear !  'Round  thy   loins  bind  the  gir  -  die, 


V-0 0 0 


V 


-0 

-0- 


*=* 


— N- 


— N- 


1 

"* 


— N" 


--P — T — s— ^— -  - 


braid  thy  bri  -  dal      hair,    as   wont     is,     with     the   spear !  'Round  thy   loins  bind  the   gir  -  die, 

i ■  "  i  ,  — 


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• 

b  - 

-Mfcg-n* 

._^__ 

-  i^ 

t? 

_^_ 

~B     5     & 

— # — 

=S— *—  J- 

round  thy     brow     the    cir  -  clet,    put     the     veil    o'er  thy  face,   the  wreath  that  luck     shall 


*=- 


irte- 


jtebj  N=^* 


— (  — 


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m— 
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round  thy    ln-ow  the         cir  -  clet,    put     the     veil     o'er  thy  face,    the  wreath  that   luck     shall 


38 


NERO. 


-rtf 


®E$EEl=l= 


WEEl'EEE. 


brin" 


L 0 


t=t: 


£ 


bring. 
Tenor,  pp 


J2— 


">*-' 


s= 


Ah, 


Bass. 


'tis  food  in     truth    for  laugh 

PP 

— — —  —  tg 


ter! 


3= 


bp: 


Ah, 


'tis         food 


in     truth    for 


t2 -.2  ~mZZm~*Z?Z0—m-ZZlZ— 0—1— ?!'=*—&- tfZ ^=-#— 0- 


— 1     v — p- 
_0— 0-  0- 


w 


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—  1 — 1 — 1 — >—  \- 


0—0—0  A 1 


!— » 


$k-%3:- 


SeB-i- 


ts_t. 


P*_«-: 


:i=t: 


:-J 


Hail ! 


i^fe 


H — 


:*" 


i=i: 


Hail! 


llfe^i 


(2- • 


P^ 


^±1 


BBI 


tp: 


:>^*: 


1 


Hail! 


2&^= 


EE=: 


/S'-i 


f=z±=fc=. =3 


l 


laugh 


ter! 


teEE&SEfc 


S&2 


/ 


Si^ei 


# 


?* 


«-# #— » 


-=^^P=P=^T^-*-*^^r=,z.E#=_-z^--=#^^=3! 

, — — r     — 1 —  — ^    r         — *■ — 0—  ~r t~  *  -  »— 0 c~  *-» — rt 


NERO. 


39 


Moderate. 

VlSDEX. 


-(=- 


.£L 


My   song 


is     ta      thee, 


guardian     of         mar 


nage, 


mt 


\T-Q3 


fe$iz- 


J     •"     J     •»      •} 


0 
0 

-0- 


— i #- 


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t-i-i-i=t--j- 


#        4 


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»--?— 9— S=  ::*3E*=II JEfE  ^ZZZ^ =GE  *Z: 

b, y=£3 * 0 tf \£Z—     _yZZJ 


:£ 


:zt?:fc-zzz 

a?Pzzz 


:z^=tyz 


SOQ 


3 

of      U 


:IEE: 


-1?1 — v- 


F 5 — ?— 


r-<5>- 


£ 


Ep=p> 


\ 


rj?       •«  *  •« 


ra  -  ni  -  a,      Let   thv  bless  -  ing  on  them  rest ! 

*     -  -FT 


lliei:,    'm 


P^zz7r*-zrj-5=z5=z:^=^J-| 


9-r>±— 


** 


^^EEy^^zz^^^E± 


9^ 


tr- 


thee 


-0- 
-1 — 


Z=*E*i 


.a. 


--■^—^izX 


.a- 


have  they  their  hearts  sur-ren     -     dered,      Hy 


men,  to     thee 


n    u  ■           n       P" 

->           HN 

H — 1 1 

-  N         '~! 

..  _Ps        ~        ., 

F^  —  ^-i? ' — 0 — —0-0—!— 

-7 — ;*,— 

1 0 — 

~m >— g~  •— 

_i #     7_  #_ 

* 0 — 

-^-0  —*—  0-0  — g— 

-7 — ! — r~ 0  0— ?— 
#          «  # 
0          0  0 

-y-0-*-0-0 — ?— 
—    #       W0 

■^*-s-*-*j-*- 

^=£ 


-P 


# _P #- —  #-,-« £____#_       iZ__#__ 

=3=EE!E  :|3Z?zlztB!?=tt=2i2z=t£I*=3z^ 

# l  * — y y     » * — 


£] 


±Lt£.. 


^zz?7  -zz^zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz: 


-h— 


--V 


-N-i 


ritard.     - 


-0- 

v- 


—&- 


ziy_z:. 


shall  my  Hym  -  nus  bo       ten 


dered !  My     song 


-J- 

0     #~ 


:Sz=z=;z=zz:;=-JzzzzJ#zz=,#z#r-Zz:z: 


-T X__j 

m 


is     to      theo. 

^s n 

— — »--      #z:?zz:z 


0 — * 

ritard. 


-J  - 

1 L..'     ) 


z5- 
■9 -?- 


^ 0 r _, h# 


U 


"«=  zi'Jz 


fc-  -  -z-7z-2zz?z-zzz;2 


^         ^ 


1? y 


40 


NERO. 


_:_>z_ 


£=£= 


bless    thou     this       pair ! . 


&f 


15 j* ^_ 


B$3Ej3E;E2=E3E 


-£3-7  -i-i-<j-- 


a  tempo. 


"*$-- 


~JT~0I 


3E^El=£ 


-m- 


0- 


§fg|E3=2='=5zz5z=t: 


0 


-0 

-m- 


-Z0—*S—Z—*f—y—'- 
-*>m — ^— y — '- — J—  ^— 


:5- 
-• 
— i' 


-r 


i^Jt 


.m c : 

-*— *— k— ?— 


?% 


PSEE=EEESE3EEEEE=EEE*E 


■j — t- 


bless  thou  this      pair ! 
Chorus*   f 


@|El=l3b£; 


— (S>- 

1 — 


-V 


— &- 


-0 — I — <&- 

E!EEEE 


-0- 

:F 


f    All       hail! All  hail ! 


H/fr    i      X  -?-r 


zdrfv 


~» — * g 


Hy 


22: 


-    me  -  nae 

-ft— jSr- 

■» — w~ 


us 


/All      hail ! All  hail ! 


Hy 


-     me  -  nae 


us : 


§ 


?j?^-i=l-*?-y- 


EE: 


-0 — 0- 


-v—v- 


-&-±- 


— 


zz~cz 


» — »-r-(S;- 


— m — w-r--cy 

3EEp 


-0- 


/    All      hail!. 


§^|EJEElE£SE 


-(2. 


All  hail ! 

■0- 


-i 1- 


Hy 


-    me  -  nae 

X- 


us! 


^zzfc 


]    L     "T"  <*■    <*•    <*■ 

jfe-^4-J— -fe±P=±pzz: 
i_z_b :z±zz=tz  tzzczzczzr: 


<-«-  <■«■  <■« 
<•#-  <■#-  <■» 

<r   0 <r-0  —  <0 

<T0—+0  —  <r-0 


i-0-   <J0-  <  ■_ 


<■#-   <♦■   <•#- 

<r  0-<  0- 

t: 


iSE3B3 

£==33 


m^±M 


-0-0 


* — ;- 


jmn 


U  !jl 


*±^ 


t '-• r 

j-*=dEi 


::tz»:=j=i±z3 


Ml! 


-nl— I— -F  -0-0— 0—f^ 0—l—l—M 

~  0 -j—m-\ H—  0 --J-J 11 


NERO. 


41 


Allegro  moderate. 
Poppaea. 


-i — 


-*— ?- 


tJIZZfclft 


<> 


-I— d S — N~£j5 k—  —  — - *h 


iJ*        »— ,-E 


_3ir; 


Crowned  my  dreams  by  love, 


if  '  '  t'Z^ — * * — y — 

so   near  the  Gods,  from  heav'n       a  -  bove,        I     look 


fe-<Z—  "— * — »— r* — '  — it* ~ *~* 1—  "z    J ^~  -zh—      ~i 

-& » — *^*    *      £  ^  -£     £*  *  -i- — fr*--"  -*-~~4- — ' 


IQ'i* — 3 * 


5-g- 


hl  "iLZ^=: 


B 


-I h 

-y- 


-# — * 


I- — 


«. 


on  the  world . 


Too  great  the   glitt'     -    ring  crown  resplend 


ent        upon  my 


:=^z==^z,:=-^z:^z:Hz: 
_; j  _i  -  =i  jrr#_3_2_ 


ggffir— — 


*5<- 

1 — 


■■3-- 


s — * 

:i=q: 


_T 


5 


<©-- 


■<a- 


;r* 


— £ 


will 


HH— ++ 


a  world  de  -  pend 


j. — ; — | — y 

— y— y— - — 


J= 


yz::y 


ent 


up-on        my    will. 


fc 


y— t- — -ff- — 
:!=EEz£z: 


— *— 0— i  -t$Z— +■—  --,—*  - 


i2_*ji   i  * 


-r 


42 


NERO. 


^#_« 


up-  on 


-i—  ■ 
-fc? 


'■0—0-0-*- 


— -J- 

r-__*v 

-I  -K- 

— i — 

■-# — 

— i — - 

0— 

#     *_ 

my    will, a      world       de  -  pend    -    ent,   yes,  a  wond  de  • 


&3=|== 


4    * 

3T~ 


r 


- — _■     1  *  ~0—a—0—  -»— •— «z  #z:  -»—-*. — ■— » 
»       5»-  -#■  -0-  -0-     Z    0     .     .     -0-    -0-    -*  -m- 


< 


P 


m=iE5Et=^m 


*zz«z:*z:*; 


-j — i — i — i —  • 

» — 0—0 — 0 


-0 — 9 — *       0' 
-0  —  0 — 0       0' 


5 


-0 0 — 0- 


£ 


0*-0&-e*-0» 


$s=& 


itzzzfcz: 


-^-0 0- 


•S>- 

;ee 


biz-1- 


-  pend  -  ent,    death  and  life in 


~-wS- 


0- 


-ah 


end    -    less  whirl. 


!:jz|iz 


■««- 


£5E 


vious  quarrels, 


=t=zzzfcJz£zzW 


0 


if      men  bean    -    ty's 


' 


*-£#*  — 

t^zz^zz: 


SSzzzii 


F 


«=» 


C: 


-  #- 

:y: 


t-F 


-Kt 


reign 


pro  -  claim ! 


.#_JL. 

±-F= 

Van  -  ish    hate 


:*z:*z^ 


^=rE'-^i:z' 


md     en 


/-*#— fc^-1- — «=zp:  =zzzpr= 
g=M«*af  |S= Jzz  zS=e=3=±z 

^  -0- 

mf Z^===—    p 


:«?r±ztz 


<>r~- 


rjj 


1 

vions  quarrels, 

■0- 

t0j—  -*e 


^ 


-tZTtZZtZZ 


-i 1 — 


TJJ 

JL 


—  W W W m r- W-- ; £- \  — 

::zzzzzTzzzizit  ^rtz  j — 


&' 


ipy 


JZE 


1 


NERO. 


43 


'6'ffy T  [  tf3— *"rV    ~^— 1 


"fr-*r 


^3 


ffi. 


/ 


'XT. 

_L_ 


5= 


if      men  beau    -    ty's    reign        pro-claim !    it    a  -  lone    gains      the    lau     - 

-fa 


r 


J-# — »-TFj» — # a — 0 —  0- 


1  -\ ! 1  —  5 —     9  — 


SS^S 


mf 


h 


#_# m «: 


»— »— *~*_ 


■J—  a — Ftf— -i 

5»— r* — *~r 


u*2:    1a.  vf£. 


-ff  — P- 


:^z.:zN: 


-#_ 


,_£?- 


^=* 


^zE^EE^E^n^E 


& 


K-r~ft— * fr-3  —g 

-9-»-F# — * — »— #-fr  f-F 


•iC— 


rels,       tli?    lau  -  rels    of     im  -  mor 


G~«»>^*      m*^-~~~  0~- 


#^    0 *^=    0 


MFFJ=^==t=J=t= 


.bTt_ 


tal  fame,       a  -  lone  can    gain    the    lau    -     - 

# 1 ? *_^" *_ 

9 a 

I 


#i=.  » — «*==,  * — 0*' — - 

* — h» — » — V* — » — 


:; 


*~L*zr"¥z:: 


t3t lI^=P — 

= E=SE 


£= 


ft*rf: 


•  ■>- 


~§    i       —  :r_f r: — * — »-+>— — N- 1 z: ;  r 


jczz?l-fc^c_: 


rels     of    im  -  mor  -  tal     fame, 


yea,  gain  the    laurels,  the  Liu  -  rels   of     im 


i  — *-2#*Sr# — n '< — 


^^||EE;fe|iiEj|^pEJ;|s 


fer«=p^g 


mor  -  tal       fame. 


ritard. 


Ah! 


3/=*f, 


Ps== 


=t=rqgz: 


:-gz: 


— rjf_~ _h»-^pi-^i:     2 


F-7 

^9  a  tempo 


"a     Fzzl-       F 


^ 


-"&■- 


44 


NERO. 


animalo. 


<*? — 


;,  *j 


k*. 


=seee 


:zp- 


:"> 


Ah! 


_=z+L2Sz: 


:^sr: 


animato. 
cresc. 


jaz: 


z=aa=fd 


stringendo 


r.  j*     k-»       |7g  .-J      k-^ 


e t. 


5  2*  »-»  » 


r±*e 


_0-0  0*0 


0    9    9    0 
■±10-0    0-  0- 

-p»  0  0  0 

— I— 

-|— 


-*=F 


^ 


?w/  stringendo. 


cresc, 


,  1T  


-^ 


j--faH-   — 


--"** 


#   ^ 

%-*     — 

\--Za- 


Hi: 


as 


gg-*^= 


rifard. 


— tci— - 


-iS1 

Yes!. 


-&- 


..z?_. 


— [- 


Tempo  I. 

■•  ;— i — # — ##— 

->— f—      n  — 


Bending  in    the 


^VSi;— >• 


4: 


f 


±zzi=: 


-Mi 

w  — 

— 1?1Z_ 

- 

rifard. 


Tempo  I. 


-i 


-»*- 


— iS — 


:gff- 


P 


c-iEE 


r 

--« 

■#■ 

1* 

NERO. 


45 


-rf      0  — * —  0- 

— y— — y- 


„* 


•*--•> 


— r— ^ — - — «- 


dust       to    me    ap  -  peal 


-    ing,        Lo,   all   the  world    be   -  fore  me    kneel 


mg, 


Ah! 


I 


P 


I 


>s?*~ 


l=p 


— h 


su 


preme    up  -    on         the  throne, 


-0- 
i — 


y 


sa  -  preme       up 


-  r  -  — u — y — i y- 


Kzcs: 


^££ 


v— - 


-K-r 


—  9—0 


0    9    0 


-0—0—0-0- 

-*—*—e—0.- 


In» 


/ 


^2- 


gig 


E£ 


3* 


-«>- 


-S- 


tzrz 


g 


4= 


i/9       0  ±9_0_ 
-_. j       | p- 


-0-0      0—0 


ah! 


on 


the    throne ! I 


its       god    - 


dess, 


a  -  lone, 


#  -i — uj — I 1 J  L^ii  , 


-» -0    0- 


— i—  g — — IS'"  ~*  *  * 
* — *~*-0-0  ■•  0- 


& 

0-0    0    0— 

00  VZjfZZ 

*  t  »■_« 


=    / 


P 


H  — -_ 


:zst 


Ek 


-»o  r-« 


46 


NERO. 


animato. 


W^ 


-Jrjf-v 


9 K —3—0 

, I — ^=tf — 

[V — 9 s V 


»_  -rr 


zzzp— p: 


-«s>- 


*-i  *=£-- 


a  -  lone,      I      its    god-dess !     I         a   -  lone, 


I     its    god  -  dess    a 


V 


5    ff *    0    tt_0 L*> * Jl_ * U* « — — * * ' 

—  0    0    »-»— L*_  C«— 


f  animato. 


9-0-00- 


X 


« 


-*-      * —        -#-       A- 

0 9 

1 r 


C:F= 


-iz=—  :•=!— 


F 


^ 


*=^ 


*=« 


-«- 


p^ 


tpc 


— # — 


stringendo, 


^2. 


5? 


4^- 
4= 


lone, . 


I     its    god  -  dess  a  -   lone, 

stringendo 


rit. 


r    li 


Rw-    =*-F** 

55  _u * * «- 


a  - 


« £— J ^^-S i Pi-**— F»— #*—-#  —  ff5 -  -B0  —  1f0-\-a0-£-  -u-9—  k  — 

£=&-* bg :     ^zz^e^j— pEzg=  (.zEgzz>-zEI?zz=E§^=z^ 

r     I  I  !      t      I      I      !      1      I      L  I 


/ 


rit. 


M.    ^o- 


u)  •  jf> — r — r~  :rc.zz:c~  :#zi£ 


r 


«3E 


JL 

_i_*. 


+ 


fet 


lone. 


n     21*.    ^  jfL 

-jm?*  — 1 *  -#  -  - 


-rt-t- 


•: h- 


ff  Allegro. 


J_ 

— 1-§#  - 


-*r»~^-? 


r:- 


IS: 


&.        JL        -2.     JL 

9:|ipSz»- 


g; 


0—0- 


— -  #        \-  0        0 0  — 

Vt—m—p 9—V-0  —  0 — 0  —  [0 — 0 — 0 — 


» — 0 


-0- 
0 


1 0 _i_    lu H 1 — 


:ez^  r* 


iMf*~' 


PI 


NERO. 


47 


Moderate  assai. 


m/"     t-egaLo  sempre 


B^z  3 


± 


-7- 


Nero. 


5  £2: 


_!. *_ 


*=*= 


._(5?_ 


Oh,       ray  fate  how       re  -  morse 


less ! 


i±=:£«^=t3t£ 


. — i — 1 — 1-# fr_| — \~0 p  — -0. 

z\-  0 1  -4-* 1-0 — 


y 


p 


§a=E£=s3=&3 


^=n=± 


:<r— 2=f=5E=t== 


jfc=g=S, iCr>i!!z=gEizEBJ: 


-i?— ^— y» 


:tzt^=U: 


» — * #- 

■i i (~ 

h^—  b> r- 


l — = 0- 


Be    -  fore    me  grim   -  ly     stand      -      eth 


in    ex   -   or 


ble 


g^ 1 — 0— 

it-0*         -w-0- 


H 1-#- 


Bid?-— ]j=w=£sTL? j: 


_^l""    :    « 

=^^" 

=^i= 

... 

H— *-- 
#• 

■*- 

5          9f 

0- 

-0- 

t              1 

— (■-#■ 

—r-0- 
■#■ 

r-N 

«       *7 

_S *_ 

— i — = — 
— #■ 
-*- 

\ 

__ 

3          " 

# 

-1—L-. 

«K 

"3     ' 

— y 

-- 

Hr-a»-= r— 


f 

death, 


— i^. 


5^ 


-<? — 

~i — 
-i — 


: -4- 


in     ex    -     or 


a    -    ble     death! 


^.^  t00^  ^^  ^*»  „^.*«"  **^      ^"^^ _»     ■,' 


* 


9E&   i^zzKzzi: 


*: 


K 


EEEEEz: 


JP=ti 


H^ 


48 


NERO. 


~.JQ. «_! « «_ 


s=s= 


*=ttrr: 


Woe       in  me  that      the  night's 


— 1_# u*- 


■_i 

zczz 


gloom  -  y         sha 


z=*=3: 


U>-i #— 1 


dow 


L> 


i;: 


_l — _tf — i — | — ,_f — r — i-# 1- -| — !-* — r  _. — \-0 — i — , — .  g — i 


\tz\t— * 


B3 


3=J=3=zJZI L:±=2z= b— ?— =1. 


--*—  « * 


3=2: 


1 


& 


^^^^^ 


fcfc|= 


-I— 


— f— *T- ' # f — +- — f * — « 


glid 


eth       so        near, . 


so  near . 


t>-b i — j-^-S P-h— l-# 1 — P4-J **r^-» ^t^-* ^^—m 


— I— I — 1-# T- — I  # f—i — 1-# 


tt*=t 


■* — 


Birr?— H» * S = »- 

]2=£Ed=?EEu===E 


*J~ 


3=z* 


?-^ 


-£— 9- 


-?-  --N-?- 


vfcfenzifc: 


£^:==fcj: 


-• <S> 


iiiiiiii^^ 


to        my  morn 


v?-b — Fh-^ 


ing  path. 


Woe. 


me, 


::-_q_nz3.z: : 


-\-0 \-0~-0- j-y-# 1-d-*—        \-±-0~  l-d-*- 


Z± 


* — 6- 


:3ee!ee': 


m 


S2lfc=t 


B 


-0- 
1 — 


'.0. 


:zt: 


-0- 


woe. 


me 


that . 


the 


t:\2- 


— »■ 


nisht  with  her 


=t< 


. N- 


g^^^EEEEE|^EEg^gEJEE^g 


NERO. 


49 


iP 


2=^: 


#-T- 


V~F: 


^e 


p 


—-?-—*- 


-? r. b- 


gloom  -       y       sha  -  dows  glid eth    so        in  ar 


my   morn  -  ing 

^?_  -^     *^5!        -^5     ^^     ^^ 


fcfc=pil=:  1=t^i=:^i^^^^^=^=tfz=^=S^^^z^E=^^=^| 


aa,    j   7=8=3 — j- 

t^io-u — , — i —  l, — i s: 


-9& 


S=2: 


.  ^ / >< 2_ 


tzrc: 


zfcz|= 


H: 


t=t 


::p: 


.E: 


path, 


Woe. 


me, 


woe. 


me, 


# -?-0- 


§fe=!5Ei3EE£ 


-A = «- 


3=1= 


cr+r 


±z 


:fc:f: 


5:: 


that 


the 


U 


t*-—m-m — * — # 


t 


night  with  her 


0- - 0 

====*=£= 


gloom 


v       sha  -  dows 


_  -#-«n— ^^^-— *^*— *-# — ^--H — >-» — -b^ #-- ! — 


-„    _  -^ — 


ti,i=s: 


'X,' 


— N- 


SE^m^ 


^ 


♦        ^ 


fZ" 


I 0 0 b 


^=Ei==fe[K 


! 


glid 


eth    so     near 


my. 


^-fj^^jgr 


S  n.  d  ,i:  =£ 


mom      -      ing  palh ! 

0~h-0- 


If 


rs   -      s ^ «f ^ , 

— Pv-^F3©^*!*— -     -^-n— — ^— y-j — — *— 7 1 u-     xt&      *  \* 

Jf# ^/     "IT*  "     *  Sir 


50 


NERO. 


h:V 


Moderate  assai. 

— N- 


-s^ — S — K V — K  - 


O  thou  with  mercy  o'er-nowing,  hear  me  when  I  humbly  plead.  Oer  life's  pathways  thorny  go  - 


?;r6zz3 s_ q . 


\9-o 


*—S- 


-#  9 


=1  zh — 'z 
— r*  £* ■ 
— '  «— • 


-i- 


-#- 


-i — 

--- 


=t 


-* 

.   .- — — 

P 
I 


IzzkfeS^E? 


— y  — y- 


* 

-/ 


aiiimato 


-    iug,thou,meLord,iu    pi   -   ty    lead! 


-A 


ft-'v— *-*>-— : 


■*-& 


1? 


-#  — « — # — i— • 


," 


aratmaio. 


-#-  ■•- 


9:s 


=p± 


d? 


J— g    «f— 8 


-?-?- 


-*== 
"? 


cfai 


-# — »- 


:n 


:y=EF 


-#_#- 


V — r- 


:p: 


:t=: 


. l- 


all         im-pel  -  ling,  cour  -  age  give     to      hearts ....         that  fear ! 


NERO. 


51 


poco  stringendo. 


— i — 

near, 


fefci 


i 


trzs: 


> 
/— 


yes,  that        a    new    bright  day      is      near!. 


-0 0  - 


M      - 
# 

*     0 

-0 — <• — 0 — 0 

0   I  ~t~ P 

y 

r  •  r   - 

** 


■*-•»— jj trV- 

y- 


-F-h- ?fi: 


-0-y^ 


- »- 
E 


s^rif 


jjoco  stringendo. 


-I- 


—I- 


_    _* 0- 

-0 0 0- 


_^ u_ 


-5-» 


.0—0. 


# «_ 


%0-*-*— 0 — *— *— «--g#— #-*#— *— «_#_q 

l,E^=c.EEEF:fe=E££ESE3 
«r    LJ        -UJ     ™  J-J 


Sfaz 


a  tempo. 


-- N-- V 


-3 — *  -- *« — S  — S — h S— N — ?  -  - 

— # — # — 0 — #-p* 


:«_# 0—  3# # *. S_ 


-^ • — ' 


Oh,   reveal,  in  truth     resplendent,    what    so  long  my    soul      confessed ! 
a  tempo. 


-0-0— 0~    *~ 

T 


'I       I 


■^ — 


— i ---I — i 1 — 

fey— ^ 


-I- 


*= 


-t- 


1 
■i=M— •- 


-0 


&< 


ritard. 


fete 


> — 1_  p_ 


Ah!. 


ritard. 


:d2z=:#=#_t  r#z   ::£= 


/■ 


a  tempo. 

— v — k — s — s — e^ — * 


'0  0  — * 0- 


-0-90- 


-*-$- 


PP* 


m 


Let  mo    on    thy  earth  re  -  splend 


a  tempo 


ent 


—  -fc. 


52 


NERO. 


-0- 

r- 


-' — r-*-^ 


~-j 


in     his  love on  earth    be  blessed ! 


Let    me  on    thy  earth  re  -  splsnd 


fc£ 


poco  stringendo. 

-A- 


^y. —       — ^_    _i — :   —Ai^- ^ sr—        jj Sj — S; — -A — l 


— *-+ 


-«■  ■&-• 


ent,  in    his  love, 


poco  stringendo. 


on  earth  be  blessed, 


his    love . 


rilard. 


Tempo  I. 


-9—7    0 

on    earth  here  be  blessed ! 
-     Tempo  I. 
espr.     ^mmm^ 


Oh,  let  me  on  thy  earth  re  -  splend  -  ent 


1 — 0—0—0.^. 


-j— ' —  — (-  ~^^ 

t±^9-7=0^0^ 

$.0*.00-jL--3L-''»-*fSr-r — 0 

'         -0-    -0*   -€*     -S-    '    I 

r    v         1 


[Pi 

S^  -*L0  0^0  J_ 


# » 

1/ — h 


NERO. 


53 


" P g — S — m . • 

-  ,—.j  / S— 0—0  — 0—0 

-*-'— g±ra— =rg=g=n 


# 


on    earth    in    love     be  blessed ! 


P_i2__$_z_ 


-*— - 


____=  ZA=^=ZipW\-£=A 


■0  —  09-0—0- 
■0 0—  0—0 ■ 


*=g-i=zzL^=£-^=Er^:       ~  ;___5__& 
[==tj-zi____:  — tj-*-*  -  r±f dJ 


y 


+-•0-0-  -0- 1    •♦-  .*-  -#-  -#.!• 


is 


5^ 


** 


c«Ti_________jrza:_  _pJ|_j^_J«____ »zz_rt__iz_i!_M-*±_t_e_^t-e:  J 

9]    1    |     h  ^-:^L-Ft=t=^P^±t^=j^^b|z^=£±l 


Moderate  assai. 

IZZ'V 5 —  _       — 

5EbEE-_^______ 


Chrysa. 


-*— 0 


;=3=^: 


?<!?- 


Fa  -   ther  in    Heav  -  en, 


i    -&- 


i    i' 
_  ■*■■_-?■ 

0-0* *H- 


-«- 


8E___^_^___=^__^__|__^__^_^S^^I^__S_a^E__8 

I  I  I  I  -  I      '        I  -0-   I      I        I  I 


J 4-J- 

-»~ — 

\(Z—ZZZ.Z\ 


m  > 


^)~zb  r? 

l___J9z_± 


i— b — • — r — * — •_- 
B__________z_3_E 


__r 


Fa 


ther  of     mer 


^z_=r__±z-J: 


x: 


tlzM^ii^^: 


Jl 1 — \-v — b — y — £ — | ^ 


-0 — 


cy,     in      meek 


ness   bending      I  would  plead !  Hear  thou  my 


t =F — 


-I- 


-0 


pxjxxxjxxjxq 

-_?' 9 m*- 

''^zzzxjtzzzM : 

i    br  t 


PS 


izr_=__ 


faxj_t: 


x— frqzs: 

i5x__t_.q__ 


:# — c. — <srzz0 


.,20-0 — #. 

xxc: 


0zzdr^zz^-      =lf-?k?=r_- 


_=__ 


._=tz__1__:. 


prayer!      Oh,  guard  my  steps  where'er  my  go  -  ing,    O      source  of    mcr-cy,     ev  -  er    flow-iug, 


^=._-^p=feg_-_P-g-_^---^^-^^ 


m  I 


?_. 


54 


NERO. 


:E3Er 


=t 


I— 


leave 


^^:|-g=-=_|-_-_-t: 


not  thy     child       with  -  out  thy     care. 

Vindex. 


■~y- 


fi — 


9#. 


=2z2- 


ST' 


1 


«» — « 


9—0_ 


i 

—  & 


m 


:&-&; 


mp     Who    is   then  this  God 

3 


of 


ifca.     Zg 


"S*- 


PP 


fc 


r 


^2= 


-«: 


:?=p: 


-* — c~  p —     «_p=- 


*^^ 

^ 


jfe= 


11^ 


V- 


mer 


S3?- 


cy  ?        From  whom   then  grief  -  be  -  la 

I 
P 


K 


den,      dost 


-F 


-e> — 
f— 


— i. 
-<©- 


o 


thou      my 

= — X— 


com 

-US'- 

t=-P= 


fort 


P: 


%$=        ee 


m 


..#_ 

£: 


-P"- 


:p- 


_.  2^_^ 


Fa 


tber, 


tbou      in 


Heav 


« 1 — : 

en! 


— vzr. 


-fg 


bor 


:p: 


row, 


pray 


:p: 

to 


'p: 


v— H 


■ 


:z2=z2gii: 


E-^, 


Heav     -    en!     Who  sweet -ens    all        thy 

_1 


;i: 


i 

pp 


g-: 


-r — 


±±rj2—jztip:  p=#-p-^=b.p=p=  rf-.r^- E^zt:  E  pi#zt>t=t«^-p=P=^>^ 


^ 


^ 


1^ 


NERO. 


55 


Chbysa. 


:3E 


3 


-y— f  —  !-- 


Source      thou       of 


:f=£=i: 

:f— y— (:: 


sor 


row  ?      Who     iaith   . . .  bath  giv'n,  Strong   in    a     brighter      inor     -    row 


il 


fe 


:^=: 


-«?—  ■ 


p: 


4?-- 


Z52Z 


!?. 


zzg: 


f— 


' 1 

:■ 1 


s!j> 


£*>V  j^* 


fcilfe 


5_—  a: 


S- 


-F- 


:|z=: 


_«_i 


i 


mer 


cy 


ev 


er         flow 


mg ! . . 


')■    -' 


:t: 


lnm  ing      thy 


soul, 


O 


m 


rnai 


den?. 


*9   n— &-± 1-       —H- 


:b£ 


2 


r=5<-=— z?: 


-*gg — 


-J— ^5/ 6- 


-iC  — 


I 


-ri_a_'    — f— I ^^em 


:#=f: 


-«- 


T>^- 


^ 


Moderate  assai. 

1 

ClIRYSA. 

JL+ r 

N        N            iS    — Ps      — Pv  -        fx      -H 

2.B4 

7      0        *        -j-#        #        #-v        ,        ,-     5 

VlNDEX. 


O    love  -  ly  dream  take  not      thy    flight ! 


:E=i 


.«_• 


-# — « 


*— *- 


I . m «_". m r 


0 #_: 

.U  y      - 

)/ —  1/ — 


O      love 


]y  dream, 


O    stay  take  not       thy  flight,       Lin  -  ger 


^ 


5»#v»  #»  : 


,— #— --j- 


-r  < 


0  '  —  #-• 


± 


_ m-'~ 0 — 0-,  -N  — 


< 


rsr: 


< 


~g 


56 


NERO. 


^:-^=^=^^--=^±=R=g=§=E==— 


Lin-ger,  lin    -  ger, 


iEB^ 


3= 


-»- 
"i — 


Sfe^: 


hour. 


2=! 

lin-ger,  moments  sweet, 


un  -  blight  -  eJ  ! 

P 


Ah!. 


to 


:zlnf- 


:E=:p 


so  sun   -    ny   and  so  bright ! 


Thou  lov'st 


me,   O 


fcfc 


-0 — 0 


¥=^ 


:-b— *-- — =?-* 


^-  •  g e 

— # — I — #_• #— #- 


:p 


# « — I 1 # 


5- .  ^*- 


TT? 


^ 


-S1 


^E££ 


:J==p 


-#-- 


J 


-  -# — P-s— *— #- 
*     i      v- — *■ 


E 


« 


Se 


love 


thee, 


with    thee      u 


ni 


:p 


0 — 0 — 0. 

tJ=Uzzx: 


ted !  O        mo    -    ment    of  rap    -    ture,  how 


heaven  -  ly     glo    -    ry !        from     her  own  lipi 


the 


won 


d'rous  sto 


rj! 


•0-  -£-  —     «i —     ■— 


-•-r+rj    -  » 0~'—\A  —  0 ,  1= (■ 


joy 


ous    thy    sway!  With    thee     let      me     pass 


iprzz; 


BE 


:t.t— 


U i P -pi- 


+ 


in      love      a    -    way ! 


— I — 


"t" 


4- 


S 


Liv  -  ing  and      dy   -    ing     for       thee ! . .     Thou       rlrpam 


of 


NERO. 


57 


-*- 


^d: 


rtffczfc*: 


0    0* 

r           '— r  I 

Bc'rzzl :: 
zzfarzzz 


let  me  pass 

-#- 


a  -  way. 


Do  uot  fly, 


V—V—tf—tr 


-izrrl'- 


.U=p=c_ 


1- 


H H 

-W — /- 


do  not  fly, 


hour 


zEEES 


light,  oh,    take  thou  not  thy  flight,  uot  thy  flight.  Linger  long  hour 


un  - 


eg?  ._| : 


\VHzzj^z 


=t 


s 


■4 


i 1- 


JL 
■O- 


-0 

•* 

nip 


-zz£=zz=zzE'EE-=_^?=:=  54 


^     JJ  ***  ***  ** 


fer^: 


•EzzzzzEEL:!^zzzEEz^=zzz:E 


=P 


i^ 


^ 


\r- 


v— 


:i2#  _  « #_7_jx_ 


i^-=tf 


"*— *H~ 


» — E 


0—0- 


Z-fzb  — 


•  •  •        so  un  -  blight   -   ed  ! 


Let  me  pass, 


V— *— '- 


•fi w'- — 1/ 


—  b— b— F — P— 
let  me  pass 

i=|zzzz= 


blight 


ed !      Let  me  live, 


let  mc  live 


with 


-t- 


:E 


with    thee 

EE 


zfczz: 


thee 


u  - 


_l- 


ifezizz: -zzzt»zz 

#_• 

0  ' 

0* 


— Ni-H 


zz»ziz~s 

^0-'-0- 

*      0* 


J_ 


<y — 0- 

0 


-=I=F 


*— zz_?zz: 


4.-        -^^-^^^^--•-H 


wy> 


0*     0* 


^JEjzzz 


■9--0--Q-   ' 


.0-0-0 . 
*  ?-0- 


■£■  ■*-    '  -=--=--3- 

•>m0-' a*-*  -,-. 0-0-0-* 

•  _JZ «_«_«_• 


r-1- 


-!«- 


>* 


2" 


'W~ 


:?#zz#_-_vz: 

ivz: jzzzzizz: 


F=5=F= 


*.  Z  Z?£ # * *- 


V--I 


-<s<- 


V— / — ^ p: 


^^Hl 


ted.       0    love  -  ly  dream,  0  love  -  ly       dream, 

*-W<2 


— <? 

r 


0 — 0—0 — 0- 


— I ; V— V— V-bh 


WZZZ 


-b 1 ¥- 

With  thee,      O 

-* Wfz 


-     m 


ted,  With   thee 


let. 


mepassa-way,     with      theo 


l     ■»  ,  I I K^^f ?<_  »*    **       *» Czrl 

5-z;tz  ~  ?*  ~ z»~  •  —m-  :-zvzr#z-z^  . :  #  . "  viz?.  ~~~ g — » — H*~f    i 

zzzzsi-z*-.  ' .'zSz'Tiz-.zziSzJJ!  i  .z} :•: , *7*_-_^zz#)zzz:zzz;H-Jas!^ 
0      0      0      0.'       *     ^.*..i>n#..       V  "^ 


0+    *    *    0*     p 


nrr 


& 


v 


tzzrzzt: 


58 


NERO. 


ritard. 


-<5>- 

"i — 


.-± 


:t=i 


* — «■ 


let  me  pass  a  -  way, 


let    me   pass 


.0 a. 


way! . 

a 


let me  pass  a  -  way, 


let    me    pass        a    -    way! 


|__(_h A—V^ J=±-L-0  -  «-f-+— 


■0- — #-  -  -g-,-0- . -  •- .  —  • — 


IF  •  T 


9  +-0-*4- 


-9-r 


-0—0    0-0 


M- 


-#*- 

>* 


u" — i 


\  -u<-£- 


ritard.   . 
3  _         3 


/T\ 


£= 


*T\ 


^1 


i 


.0*tl— CIE±=     \  yrw*?-0-0-0-»- . 


-0-0--0-'-0-'-0' 

lr0~7"0Z'  0  '  0' 


0_0_9. 

.0-0-0     0- 


0  •  0' 
-0-i-0\ 


/7\ 
-i5>  - 


Epicuaeis. 


:i^I 


RT3= 


-5 Js IS ! 


Moderate. 


:z|=z 

-0-       -0-       -0-        " 

Oh,  sleep  my  child, 


fas=£=c 


* — * — 


free  from  all    sor  -   row, 


§ss= 


-i-  »  —  p—  -»-  *¥ — 


tc: 


-g- 


>=2=t5^^3 


L_B 0 J<_ 


■0-  s 

1 — 0—F- 


*^*5 


Hb±S^+: 


iii 


,   — #_ 

thy       moth    -    er 


r»rfc-U=, 

:S— — 

b  -.'      * 

v  7        0                         > 

*                # 

.#» ; 

5=3 


-—&- 


wakes ! 


JL 


--i—0, 

M 


■f- 


— N h Ss-L'IZJ 

Oh,   sweet  -  ly      sleep 


r 1« 


0 


.% 


■0-          s 

■«■           N 

"*"»     S 

f-          N 

-*■         s 

fl       S 

Pi?                         * 

.  — 0  _  J . 

'6"J  1 — #ZjT~ 
"—        — *  — 

•     0 ' 

*  .             0      m 

r^-l— *-,  — 

i-*!       ~»— w~~ 

:-' *-*-: 

NERO. 


59 


i&Z* 


! _ N --t— i I  —  -t ^ 


0 

L 

u 

£ee 


i 


uu  -  til       to  -  mor    -    row 


the 


sun  -   light         breaks ! 


—  0- 


«v_  -0- 

1 T* 


-I — »— „- 

— 7- 


h — 9    -   - 


-> 


"7% 


r_-fe#_ 
^^zSlZZZZZM 

-'— ^—  I#^ 


I 


ClIRYSA. 

■U-" 


u<~ 


-* 0 


^EEEp: 


:*: 


And  our    souls 


m^m 


to 


star  -  ry      gold    -    en 


realms  to 


-* S- 


geth 


:0 0- 

-    er 


.0 
0— 


~-\t-t  -i 


'■PTK 


.0  ._ 
* 


0. 


V 


— > 


2fc 


** 


ZTI»1_7.b K-!^ 5—  *f   — ■■ *      *!   ^* V -»_^fc. -ft 


■tr 


—  #- 


■_ — ~  0  


.0- 

■tr 


«_ 

r 


E3L*==i 


=»=£ 


_-«_ 


— f — **-H-— F 


took        their  flight, 


And  in     dreams 


.  5  „"_  * 


a: p — 


jS 


8 


s  _ 


r 

9 


# 


V- 


—l» » — : 


slum  -  ber      hold    -    en 


0  . 
0 


life 


—  K 


^_ — *- 

.7_ L> 

\r 


§=^I^ 


£td? 


p. 


:_=r--rP—  f-bb^=z=ifc=d 


came    tl'e 


blis 


And  our  souls 


to 


Epicharis. 


m 


m 


:  K5_.#. 


-# 


-  0 

U5, 


ful   rest        of       night! 


# rTT # 

r==EJ  — t- 


And_ 

-#- 

czz 

» — 

F= 
p 


our 


souls      to 


r 


:E 


-cr-'-sr^-  ± 


:S3 

— N-2 


60 


NERO. 


star  -  ry     gold 


0—  -f— f        0 —  -0 — 0 — » — 0 —  Z&IZZ. 

u— F*  — - — Vt— :&— & — b> — £=£—  Fz==:::-=: — j  + 

realms   to  -  geth  -  er  took  their  flight, 


& — 


en 


7 — **- a«- 


-0- 


^=* 


e==3-i=; 


star 


IT 


gold   -  en       realms       to 


ife 


r=h= 


■*-  0 


ii-Efe 


-^ I- 


geth 


er 


took     their       flight, 


:E= 


=r=^- 


r 


E*==S==d 


^ 


:ir-— r^r^ 


--?— 


-*— <-- 


—t— 


fegfe!=z=g=:* 


y— f- 


r 


■! y— L- 


— ft — ft- 


— N Ps Pv 


Aud  in  drdams 


slum  -  ber      bold 


en 


came  the     bliss-ful  rest  of 


SEEEEE3ESEB 

-I 0. —0 0 


~-$0 &0 


:1- 


=t 


And 


10 


dreams 


slum  -  ber       hold  -  en 


_  i_zEjat: 

came     the 


bliss 


3= 

ful 


-b. ± 


fli=t= 


b* 


— #  - 


z:2_ 


p= 


-^-t-'— hT= T= 


--mr 


-7-t—T— g-7- 


-"«■« 1- 


EF=iE 


*       *7 

tr  <^u      *      «f 

b> 

U 

lii^i 


— y- 


-0 


-0-zz-az 

:£Ebtrz 


K— 1 


nicrht. 


Oh,   slum -ber  sweet, 


J  * 

free  from  all 


n- 


=t=: 


E?E£E=: 


-«&- 


2 N- 


— 1 


=t 


-N — ~i 
— I * 


N  — 


rest 


of      night ! 


Oh,  slum  -  ber    sweet, 


free  from     all    sor    -    row, 


:!*: 


■4 


/> 


<» 

:*•_- 


3: 


5 


§ife=^ 


-1 1— — » ! 


r=»- 


#  — 


"** — > : 


NERO. 


61 


--■&=*■- 


sor 


;^;S^* 


-fl— h 


fef= 


j # 


P=3S= 


■#      — #  - 
thy        moth    -    er 


« — 


row,       the       moth  -  er 


wakes, 


-0 0 0 

| | 

-y  —  y  —  y — 

Oh,  slumber 


:pr 


F- 


-  — r 


•wakes ! 


Ht 


=t 


y?- 


Oh,   slum -ber  sweet, 


— Py * 1     **" — 9 r_ — ==B'— -» — i -*— > 


c — »_ 


S^ 


» 


KF?= 


a — 2 1 — 0- 

—9 * 


za~. 


-c 

-I— 


V- 


mm 


sweet, 


tm  -  til    to  -  mor     -     -    row      the       sun  -  light     wakes ! 


:trk——z:r—— — :* 


3 


un  -  til     to  -  mor    -    row 


r- 


-0- 


:t?2-: 


:&_ 


the    sun  -  light      wakes! 


m^l 


I 


3= 


0 


:t : 


J ,_ 


£= 


I v  \? # __L       ^^  9  i        ^ #  II         ^"       y  L 5 I E. 


=Sfc: 


-3- 


*= 


1 — y — y- 


-# — 
i — 
-y— 


Oh,  slum -ber 


m 


: LUid 


--?- 


=fc 


>c — 


Oh,  sleep  my    child, 


-*•- 


b*" 


b- 


:-*- 
V 


b-^ 


<):^^ 


£&b=£&b: 


■2^" 


l — — 3-p »-Fc-h  »  - 


,4?- 


't 


■O- 


S. 


•»- 


62 


NERO. 


* 


fel^S 


m 


=ir: 


:i-z 


sweet, , 


te 


4Bi 


,JjLk_4 


3& 


-4- 


H 


■t 


m 


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FRANZ  LISZT. 

Messrs.   STEINWAY  &  SONS: 

Gents:  The  magnificent  Steinway  Grand  Piano  now  stands  in  my  music  room, 
and  presents  a  harmonic  totality  of  admirable  qualities,  a  detailed  enumeration  of  which  is 
the  more  superfluous  as  this  instrument  fully  justifies  the  world-wide  reputation  that  for 
years  you  have  everywhere  enjoyed. 

After  so  much  well-deserved  praise,  permit  me  also  to  add  my  homage,  and  the  ex- 
pression of  my  undisguised  admiration,  with  which  I  remain, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

FRANZ  LISZT. 


ANTON  RUBINSTEIN. 

New  York,  May  24,  1873. 
Messrs.   STEINWAY  &  SONS: 

Gentlemen:     On  the  eve  of  returning  to  Europe,  I  deem  it  my  pleasant  duty  to 

express  to  you  my  most  heartfelt  thanks  for  all  the  kindness  and  courtesy  you  have  shown 

me  during  my  stay  in  the  United  States;  but  also,  and  above  all,  for  your  unrivaled 

Piano-Fortes,  which  once  more  have  done  full  justice  to   their  world-wide  reputation, 

both  for  excellence  and  capacity  of  enduring  the  severest  trials.     For  during  all  my  long 

and  difficult  journeys  all  over  America",  in  a  very  inclement  season,  I  used  and  have  been 

enabled  to  use,  your  Pianos  exclusively  in  my  Two  Hundred  and  Fifteen  Concerts,  and 

also  in  private,  with  the  most  eminent  satisfaction  and  effect. 

Yours  very  truly, 

ANTON  RUBINSTEIN 


THEODORE   THOMAS. 

Cincinnati,  July  19th,  1879. 
Messrs.  STEINWAY  &  SONS: 

Gentlemen:  I  consider  the  Steinway  Piano  the  best  Piano  at  present  made,  and 
that  is  the  reason  why  I  use  it  in  private  and  also  in  all  my  public  concerts. 

As  long  as  the  Pianos  of  Messrs.  Steinway  &  Sons  retain  that  high  degree  of  excel- 
lence of  manufacture,  and  those  admirable  qualities  which  have  always  distinguished 
them,  I  shall  continue  to  use  them  in  preference  to  all  other  Pianos. 

Respectfully  Yours. 

THEODORE  THOMAS. 


MANUFACTURERS   OF 


Grand,  Square  and  Upright 

PIANO-FORTES. 


ILLUSTRATED  CATALOGUES  MAILED  FREE  UPON  APPLICATION. 


Warerooms,     - Steinway  Hali^ 

107,  109  &  111  EAST  14TH  STREET, 


NEW  YORK. 


European  Depots: 

Steinway  Hall,  Stein  way's  Pianofabrik,  '  . 

1 5  Lower  Seymour  St.,  Portman  Sq.,  W.,  St.    Pauli,   Neue   Rosen-Strasse,   20-24, 
LONDON,  ENGLAND.  HAMBURG,  GERMANY. 


H    ».    :OBT.  PRINTER.   14  FRANKFORT  ST.,  NEW  YORK. 


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